Manic
by kaela097
Summary: With Louis out of the way, Blair and Chuck learn to put aside the hurt and mistakes of the past and deal with the new issues that come with trying to find their own fairytale ending.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**To my loyal readers, I will be returning to my Chair series with the next story, but this has been floating around in my head for a while. In this story, I have taken certain pieces of the current storyline and mixed them around in my head to fit what I would want to happen.**

**This starts off after an abruptly ended engagement party for Blair and Louis, where Chuck has stepped in and stolen away the bride-to-be with a romantic proposal of his own. I could have written that piece into the story, but I wanted to pick up the action just after.**

**Enjoy.**

"Where are you taking me?" Blair inquired as she fidgeted in her seat. She had tried to get interested in the many fashion magazines the flight attendant had brought her early in the flight, but she was too keyed up to concentrate. Too much had happened in that day to focus.

"Away," he responded simply as he continued reading from the novel he'd brought to fill the hours between take off and touch down.

"You'll have to do better than that," she scolded him as her hand went to his knee and gave it a painful squeeze.

"What is life without a little intrigue, my fair Waldorf?" was his sinister response as his lips curled into a devilish smile.

"Chuck, I mean it, if you don't tell me where this plane is heading, I'm going to find a parachute and jump," she replied in what was meant to be a threat, but only made Chuck laugh a little harder. Not appreciating his finding humor at her expense, she smacked his chest, "I mean it, Chuck, tell me right now."

Chuck merely shook his head in response, so Blair called for the flight attendant.

"Yes, Ms. Waldorf," the flight attendant inquired as she dutifully appeared.

"Find me a parachute, I'm jumping out of this plane," Blair stated calmly.

"I'm sorry?" the attendant looked at her in confusion.

"I'm jumping out of the plane," Blair repeated, "To land safely, I'm in need of a parachute."

"I don't think we have any," the attendant fumbled for a response.

"Thank you, Jessica, I'll take it from here," Chuck told the attendant as he shoed her away as he set his book aside, "Blair, we've fifty thousand feet over the Atlantic Ocean. We both know you have no intention of jumping as you aren't that good of a swimmer."

"I believe I'll manage," she crossed her arms as she huffed.

"How about a hint?" he offered up a compromise.

"How about simply telling me where we're going?" she countered. "I've had enough of the games this past year. You promised me things would be different when you slipped this ring onto my finger, and I'm holding you to that."

"I did make that promise to you, didn't I," he sighed as he took the hand she held up to show off the new engagement ring and kissed it lightly.

It had been quite the whirlwind of emotions over the past few hours. It hadn't even been more than a few hours ago that she'd worn another man's ring. The ring had sent Chuck into a deep spiral for which everyone was certain he would never recover.

He knew his dreams would haunt him. He done some pretty unforgiveable things to her. From the night he'd nearly attacked her, to trading her to his uncle for a piece of real estate, to stringing her long for too long. The one that haunted him the most was when he punched his hand through the glass window instead of hitting her directly. He was certain that she had a tiny scar on her cheek that she'd cover with makeup until it faded away, but he couldn't feel any more horrible about the mark if it had left a hideously uncoverable permanent scar.

He'd tried to recover. He'd sobered up, rescued her from a mad man, and even made love to her. Everything in his world began to make sense again, and then he began listening to her talk about the differences in her relationship with him to the relationship with Louis. Suddenly nothing made sense anymore. The only thing he was hearing was that he was going to drag her down into his pit. He tried to be honorable, but in being honorable he lit his own match that reignited his downfall.

He'd sunk into a deep pit. His depression ran so deep that he couldn't even call it a depression anymore. He had been completely devoid of feeling yet he didn't even know it. Somehow Clueless Nate managed to see it. He'd forced him to check into the Ostroff Center, but not after a knock down fight between the best friends that opened up Chuck's hand that had just begun to heal.

Finding himself trapped, he knew the only way to get out of the treatment facility was to open up, to show the doctors everything he was afraid to show everyone else, even Blair. He wasn't cured, but he was better, better enough to believe that he could be what Blair needed. He burst into her engagement party, without an invitation, got down on one knee and proposed. He shook his head at the absurdity of it all, especially hearing her say the one word he never truly expected, yes.

How she was sitting beside him with his engagement ring on her finger was still the mystery above all other mysteries. The shock hadn't yet worn off when Chuck whisked Blair away from her engagement luncheon to the other man and had her board the plane they were currently flying into the metaphorical sunset on.

"This makes more sense," Blair replied as she suddenly switched conversations as her head came to rest on his shoulder.

"Elaborate, please," he requested as her fingers ran tenderly along his still healing knuckles. She knew he'd punched out his best friend in a rage, and the gashes he'd opened in the tangle with the glass reopened. He wasn't healed yet. She just didn't know the whole story. "Eventually," he thought to himself.

"I was pretending with Louis," Blair sighed, "I wanted the fairytale, and since you couldn't give it to me I was determined to find someone who could. I should have known better."

"You had feelings for him," Chuck reminded her.

"But not the important ones," Blair stated as she admired her ring yet again. It was everything she had hoped to receive one day, far better than the colossal one that Louis had given her. His ring had always felt like a dead weight against her hand. Chuck's ring felt lighter than air.

Chuck's finger spun the ring around her finger a few times. He'd never doubted that it would be a perfect fit. It was clearly different than the one he tried to force onto her the night he referred to as 'the incident'. He had chucked that one into the Hudson during his manic state. The word 'bipolar' suddenly rang through his mind. It was the diagnosis that the doctor at the Ostroff Center had given him. It was a difficult pill to swallow, one that he'd have to swallow probably everyday for the rest of his life, but it made sense.

"You're quiet," she told him as he stared blankly at the book he was once again holding. She could tell by the stillness of his eyes that he wasn't reading. "There is too much self reflection going on in that mind of yours. Stop it."

"Blair, there is something that I haven't told you yet," Chuck replied as he entwined his fingers into hers, "Something that I've just found out."

Blair looked at him expectantly but didn't comment. She knew better. This was going to be a slow process back to each other. While it was true that they were engaged, there probably wouldn't be a wedding for quite awhile. They still had much to work out. There had only been one promise made, and that was that the games and hiding of truths were over.

"When I was at the Ostroff Center, I was diagnosed as bipolar," he told her.

She stared at him blankly.

"Did you hear me?" he asked.

She nodded, but said nothing.

"If that changes things between us, I'll understand," he added.

"It changes nothing," she assured him, "This honestly doesn't come as much of a surprise. When you're good, you're really good. When you're bad, you're Satan incarnate."

"It could be genetic," he told her, "Bart may have had it, maybe perhaps my mother. Any children in our future could be inflicted."

"It changes nothing," she repeated as she gave his hand a light squeeze.

"It means medication for probably the rest of my life," he continued on, "More potential outbursts, more potential hurt."

"One step at a time, Bass," she told him as she stroked his chest softly as her head came to rest against one of his shoulder. She fit perfectly against him.

"About that night," he began as he slowly traced her cheek where the faintest red line laid beneath the skillfully applied makeup. "I hope you know that I would never intentionally hurt you. I was. . ."

"I should have stayed away," Blair cut off the apology that he was intending to make, "You weren't in the right frame of mind, and I was going to make it much worse."

"I scared you," he replied.

"I was scared for you," she stated.

"I scared you," he repeated, "I nearly forced myself on you. Blair, I'm so sorry."

"It's in the past," she assured him. "We started fresh today."

"You've given me too many chances. I've hurt you too many times," he stated.

"Don't finish that thought," she scolded him, "I made my choice. I choose to stand by you through anything, including this diagnosis."

"I love you," he told her as he kissed her temple softly.

"Where are you taking me?" she repeated.

"Away," he responded simply.

"Chuck," she scolded him.

"Let me have this, and then I'll tell you everything else from here on out, I promise."

She conceded to his request. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that he'd actually be able to keep that promise. He was a man that internalized everything. It would be baby steps to get him to open up to her again. As much as he'd hurt her over the past year, she'd done a lot of damage to him as well. There wasn't a scorecard anymore, nor would there ever be again. Their relationship wasn't going to be magically repaired overnight, but it would be repaired. She wouldn't settle for anything less. He held her heart. She was done denying or trying to substitute in another.

"I could use a little bubbly," she announced, "Would you like some as well?"

"I can't," he shook his head as he spoke softly, "No more drinking."

"Why?" she gasped.

"It reacts with the medication I've been given," he explained, "It would be like giving adrenaline to the Hulk, not a good idea."

"So no more drinking ever again?" she pressed for clarification.

"For the foreseeable future anyways," he nodded, "There may come a time in which the doctors feel the medication is no longer necessary, but for now I'll be the designated sober driver."

"If you knew how to drive," she threw in for good measure.

He smirked in reply as she relaxed against him again. His arm came around her shoulder. "No bubbly?"

"Not today," she shook her head slightly, "I'll be sober with you."

"That's not necessary," he assured her, "I don't expect you to sacrifice for my benefit."

"You're taking the medication for my benefit, so I can do this for you," she explained.

"It's not just for your benefit," he sighed as he ran his fingers through the locks of her hair, "It's for the benefit of all of society. I was out of control."

"Let's put that all aside for now. We have a lifetime to deal with this and work out the kinks," she sighed, "We've been given another chance. Let's use it."

"Mister Bass, we've begun our descent. The pilot expects up to land in thirty minutes," their flight attendant announced suddenly.

"Perfect timing," Blair smiled as she kissed his cheek softly.

**TBC. . .**

**Dedicated to my best writing pal Lori2279 on her birthday. Happy Birthday, Lori! If you haven't checked out our co-authored story "What More Could We Ask For?" I highly encourage you to do so. **

**Let me know what you all think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Thank you everyone for the encouragement. Your words mean more than you could ever know.**

"Welcome to Paradise," Chuck smiled as he took her hand as they stepped off the plane to a small private island that was their destination. He was greeted with the same view the pictures promised. He only hoped that the island home replicated the pictures as well as the small runway.

Everywhere Blair looked, she was surrounded by tropical trees and scrubs and absolutely nothing else. Exotic birds were singing in the distance. The only thing that remotely resembled civilization was the runway beneath their feet that was just long enough to allow his private jet to take off and land.

"Tell me where we are right now," she demanded as she stomped her heel on the pavement in annoyance.

"That actually depends on you," he smiled at her impatient little tantrum, "I'm assigning you the task of naming this little plot of land."

"You're speaking riddles right now that are not appreciated. Where the hell are we? And no cryptic answers this time," she demanded.

"We are currently standing on the runway of a small island which was once considered an uninhabited part of the Caribbean, but has been recently acquired by yours truly," he explained.

"You brought me to an uninhabited island," she groaned, "Do you know me at all?"

"I said it was once considered an uninhabited island," Chuck repeated, "It hasn't been for quite sometime. I bought it from some recently bankrupted Hollywood mogul. I assure you that it's been furnished with lavish accommodations suitable enough for my snobbish fiancée."

"I am not a snob," she hissed as she stomped her foot again.

"Yes, you are," he laughed as he pulled her into him, "It's one of many things that I love about you. You're as much of a snob as I am."

"Chuck, we're in the middle of some Caribbean jungle, now is not the time for backhanded compliments," Blair glared at him.

"Come with me," he requested as his hand went to the small of her back.

"Why, are you going to feed me to some giant rodent?" she snarled at him as she resisted his encouragement to move forward.

"Where is this foul mood coming from?" he inquired as he stopped his prodding and turned to stand before her, "Today is supposed to be a day of joy."

"I'm just tired," she admitted as she rubbed at her eyes that she'd been fighting to keep open for most of their journey, "I haven't slept well in a few weeks. . . months actually."

"There is a cozy bed waiting for us," he encouraged her forward again.

"We don't have to walk there, do we?"

"No," he assured her as he pointed towards the golf cart waiting for them complete with a driver near the runway.

"Good," she sighed in relief, "Otherwise I'd be insisting that you carry me. I guess I'm more tired then I thought."

The chivalrous bone in Chuck's body kicked in as he picked Blair up in his arms and carried her towards the awaiting golf cart. Her exhaustion won out as she was asleep before they even made it to the cart.

"Welcome, Mister Bass," the golf cart driver greeted him as Chuck situated himself in the cart with Blair in his lap. Chuck nodded in acknowledgement of the words but said nothing for fear that he'd awaken his beauty. The driver seemed understanding as he drove off without another word through the jungle and towards the luxurious home the previous owner had built.

Chuck was greeted by the matronly caretaker at the front door that reminded him slightly of Blair's trusted Dorota. She didn't say a word as she motioned for Chuck to follow her towards the master bedroom.

As he walked in to the bedroom the bright sunshine flooded the room, but the highly efficient maid reached for a remote and pressed a button that lowered the shades, leaving the room in complete darkness as Chuck lowered Blair to the soft bed.

"Thank you," Chuck whispered softly as he followed the caretaker to the bedroom door.

"Will you be needing anything at this moment?" the woman inquired.

"No," Chuck shook his head.

"Dinner will be at seven," she smiled. "And Mister Bass, welcome to the island."

"Thank you . . ." Chuck struggled to remember the name on the contract he'd signed. It was the one condition that the bankrupted Hollywood producer had insisted on; that his island staff stay employed.

"Yvechelle," the woman prompted him, "And it was my husband, Tomas, that drove you here."

"Yvechelle," Chuck repeated, "Thank you."

* * *

Blair awoke several hours later to complete darkness. The only familiarity she had at the moment was the warm body at her side. She smiled widely in relief that the events of the day hadn't been an intensely vivid dream. "Chuck," she whispered softly as his strong arms pulled her in tighter to his body as he continued to sleep. She let out a giddy giggle as her fingers played with the ring at her finger, her mind repeating the scene in which he'd shocked everyone they knew with the romantic declaration. The shock was increased tenfold when she'd uttered her simple reply, "Yes!"

"Are you awake, Beautiful?" Chuck mumbled softly as he nudged his nose into her neck to inhale her familiar scent.

"I just woke," she replied as her hands went to his forearms and caressed them softly. She was convinced she was in heaven. This moment felt too perfect for the world she was used to. "How long have we been asleep?"

"A few hours," he spoke against her earlobe after checking the time, "We still have an hour until dinner."

"I need light," Blair responded, "I need to be able to see you."

"Don't move," he whispered before he left the bed to retrieve the remote he remembered their caretaker leaving near the bedroom door. After hitting a few of the wrong buttons, the slides covering the windows rose to showcase the beautiful view of the ocean that they had before them. The sun had started it's decent for the day and cast everything within their view in an exquisite orange glow.

Chuck returned to the bed just as Blair sat up to take in the magnificent view. "Incredible," was the only word she'd managed to utter as the tears filled her eyes.

"Those are happy tears, I hope," he gulped nervously as he wiped at the first tear that fell.

"This is real, isn't it," she smiled with a slight nod. "This isn't some fantastic dream in my head, this is our new reality."

"Yes," he replied as he gathered her into his arms and allowed her to cry softly against his shoulder. All the pain and misery of so many wasted months had taken their toll on both of them. While neither one was naïve enough to believe that the rest of their lives were going to be perfect, this was a definite turning of the page for them.

"I missed you so much," she cried out, "So much that it hurt to breath at times."

"I know the feeling," he nodded as his hands ran rhythmic patterns along her silk covered back.

Silence filled the room. What had once been uncomfortable now put them at ease. They were back to those unspoken thoughts that they'd shared so often during their relationship.

"Would you like the tour?" he inquired.

"Maybe later," she sighed as they relaxed back against the soft pillows and watched the waves as they crashed against the shore though they heard no sound through the soundproof glass. "Those doors open, don't they?"

"Yes," he nodded as he rose to his feet once again and opened them so that the oceanic sounds could fill their room.

"That's better," she smiled as she relaxed against him again when he rejoined her. After a few moments a panicked though entered her mind. "Chuck, I have no clothes, nothing at all to change in to."

They'd left in a hurry. He'd allowed her to change out of the gifted ball gown her prince had her wearing that day, but didn't allow her time to pack anything else. At the time, he was still worried that she'd be changing her mind and wanted her out of New York City before she could. Now they were in paradise and had nothing but the clothes on their back.

"I'll send the jet back to New York to get some clothes," Chuck replied after a few moments of thought, "Do we trust our best friends to pack appropriately?"

"I don't trust Serena with much of anything at the moment," she grumbled. The hurt feelings of the past few months quickly surfaced. Serena had dissolved into her own little world, making no room or time for Blair. That she'd been at the engagement party that day was mostly out of obligation, and the sour expression she wore had not been appreciated.

"Blair, she loves you. She just wanted you to be happy," he tried to play peacemaker.

"She was being spiteful because of what happened between me and Dan . . . which meant absolutely nothing to me by the way."

"Part of that past we're putting behind us," he nodded, though her assurances weren't as calming as they were meant to be.

"What about you and Nate?" Blair pondered.

"Things have gotten better," he replied as he rubbed at his hand. It was the fist fight he'd had with his best friend that was the catalyst to seek help. Nate's face was most likely still as bruised as his own fists, but he was also the first person to greet him when he'd left Ostroff.

"But that should all be behind you two now," Blair replied.

"Hurt feelings are hard to get over," he replied, "As is a bruised jaw."

"Since neither of us is too keen on our best friends packing our bags, do you have any other brilliant ideas?" she inquired as she changed the subject quickly.

"Just one," Chuck replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "How would Dorota feel about rifling through my unmentionables?"

"She didn't seem to have much problem when she was washing them when we stayed at my mother's during our exile from the Empire," Blair replied.

"She wore latex gloves whenever she touched my laundry," Chuck replied, "As if she was going to get a communicable disease just from touching them."

"She was pregnant then," Blair laughed, "She was irrational."

"She didn't wear the gloves when handling Nathaniel's laundry, and he was at higher risk than I was at the time. I'd been with you all year while he'd gone through my black book twice," Chuck replied.

"I'm not going to explain the inner workings of a pregnant woman," Blair smiled, "Trust me, she'd be happy to do it."

"While I doubt she'd jump in so enthusiastically, she does seem to be the only valid option," Chuck nodded, "Why don't you call her and make the request while I call the flight crew and give them their instructions?"

"Before I do that, how long do you plan on us staying on this island?"

"As long as you'd like," Chuck responded.

"Forever has a nice ring to it," she smiled.

"Have her pack for a month," Chuck advised her, "Our caretaker can see to our laundry if necessary."

"A month it is," she smiled as she retrieved her phone and made the call. Chuck smiled as he took care of his own business. He loved seeing the smile on her face and knowing that he was the one putting it there. It was far better than the tears he'd been causing.

* * *

"Is there anything else you'll be needing this evening, Mister Bass?" Yvechelle inquired as she took away their dinner dishes after a delectable meal on the waterfront veranda.

"No, that will be all," Chuck replied.

"Thank you for a lovely meal," Blair smiled, "It was delicious."

"You're very welcome. I'll see to it that your bed is turned down before I retire for the evening," Yvechelle bowed slightly before vanishing from sight.

"She's very discreet," Blair commented as she rose from her chair to sit in his lap.

"One of her many qualifications," Chuck nodded as his arms entwined around her waist, "One of which she is also a gourmet cook. That meal was excellent."

"Let's go for a walk along the beach," Blair suggested as her hand began massaging the back of his neck softly.

"It's nearly sunset," he told her as he twirled a lock of her hair around his finger, "I wouldn't want us to get lost on the island if we're out after dark."

"Then we'll leave a light on," she smiled as she began batting her eyelashes as she moved in closer to whisper in his ear, "Please, Chuck."

Those two simple words were Chuck's undoing. He could resist nothing when she spoke to him in her husky sexy voice. He was helpless to do anything except nod his head as she rose to her feet and pulled him along with her.

Chuck freed himself for a moment to turn on the porch light to guide them home after the sunset, but quickly returned as she was removing her stilettos. "Take off your shoes and socks," she told him as he took his first step onto the sand.

"Why?" he inquired.

"Why wouldn't you?" she shot back, "It's your sand. Don't you want to feel it squishing between your toes?"

"I don't think squishing sand between toes is as exciting for guys," he told her.

"Quit being such a guy, and just do it," she glared at him with her hands on her hips.

Chuck couldn't help the laugh that escaped as he bent over to remove his shoes and socks. Everything that he loved about their relationship was coming back, including the trivial bickering they did back and forth.

As his toes sunk into the sand she began smiling, "See, doesn't that feel good?"

"It's sand, Waldorf," he told her.

"It's your sand," she replied, "Don't you feel the magic of it?"

"I feel the magic of being here with you," he replied as he snagged her around the waist and brought her into him. Her arms automatically went around his neck as she held him close.

"This feels right," she said for the second time that day.

"This feels like home," he added as he kissed her shoulder softly.

Blair's eyes slid closed as she savored his words. It was a simple expression that spoke volumes. He'd never felt as if he had a home before her. He'd uttered the phrase once before, and it reduced her to tears. She felt herself on the verge again that evening.

"Shall we walk," he suggested as she began to sniffle slightly. She nodded quickly as he took her hand and led her down towards the surf.

"I've done a little thinking," Blair replied as he thumbed the ring on her finger, "I think we should hold off on a wedding for a little while. I want to enjoy being engaged."

"Whatever you'd like," he nodded, "Whether we're married a month from now or ten years does not matter to me. I simply like knowing that we have a future together."

"I'm not waiting ten years," she gasped, "I'm thinking after college, maybe a year or two after that, but no more."

Chuck merely nodded. "Will you be wearing an Eleanor original when you walk down the aisle?"

"I haven't even given that any thought," she replied.

"You had your wedding to Louis all ready planned out," Chuck challenged her.

"Because I wanted to get it done and over with before I had time to think it through. In the back of my mind, I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I desperately needed something good in my life," she explained.

"I understand," he nodded, "I wasn't happy about it, but I understand what drew you to him. He made you feel like a princess. It's how I should have treated you. I failed. I won't again."

"We're going to have our bumps," she told him, "We're not going to have a perfect life. I'm okay with that because at the end of everyday I know that you love me, and without a doubt I know I love you."

"You weren't in love with that prince, were you?" he realized.

"I wanted to be," she nodded, "Because it felt so good to be with him, but no I wasn't."

"Is it wrong for me to be happy about that?" he inquired.

"Yes," she smiled, "And no."

"Let's take a seat and watch the sunset," he suggested as he stopped walking suddenly.

"But I'll get all sandy," she pouted.

"I'll take one for the two of us," he offered as he sat down and pulled her off balance so that she fell into his lap.

"Such the gentleman today," she laughed as she maneuvered in his lap so that she could see the sun set. "This is the end to what has been a perfect day."

"Blair, I want to take this reunion slow," he told her, as the sun's descent seemed to gain speed.

"What does slow mean to you?" she inquired. "The last time you said that was at your father's wedding to Lily, and we ended up in bed before the reception ended."

"This time I mean slow," he replied.

"We're here in paradise. Are you seriously suggesting no sex?" she gasped in surprise.

"I'm not necessarily suggesting no sex for the entire duration of our stay," he told her, "But for the moment, yes, I'm suggesting no sex."

"Who are you, and what have you done with my Chuck?" she turned to look at him, eyeing him as if he'd grown a second head.

"We may very well go back to the house and have our way with each other, but we've complicated our relationship enough. If we're going to get this right, we have to do things right," he explained as their eyes stayed locked together.

"Agreed," she nodded as the sun slipped beyond the horizon.

"We missed the sunset," he sighed as he pressed his forehead to hers after spotting the sun had vanished for the day.

"There will be another one tomorrow," she smiled, "And if we miss that one, there is another the day after that, and then the day after that. They're all guaranteed now."

"Don't say that," he shook his head, "If I have a guarantee of a tomorrow, I'll take this day for granted. I don't intend to do that anymore."

"Let's go back to the house," she suggested, "We can finish our walk tomorrow in the daylight, and I'm a little sleepy."

**TBC. . .**

**I want to take a quick moment to address something. I have a very dear friend that deals with a family member that is bi-polar on a daily basis, so by no means am I trying to make light of such a difficult disease. I could never begin to fully comprehend what she goes through on a daily basis. I hope to treat this with the sensitivity that it is due.**

**Having said that, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the rest of the story to come.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Good morning," Blair smiled as she woke up to see Chuck staring at her intently. She could hear the soft sound of the blinds opening as the sun's glow began to bath them in an otherworldly glow. This felt more like a dream than any she'd been having for months.

"Good morning," his smiled widened.

"How long have you been awake?" she inquired as she rolled into his arms.

"Awhile," he replied as his hands roamed along her nude body. It had been a tricky situation the previous evening as they prepared for bed. She had insisting on rolling herself up in a towel so as to comply with the no sex policy that he'd established, but she'd become too warm during the night and cast it to the floor.

"Careful, Bass," she smirked as his hands roamed to the dangerous territory of her derriere, "That goes against your no sex policy."

"It's difficult to remember my no sex policy with your sexy body rubbing up against me," he replied as he caressed her backside a little more firmly.

"That feels good," she sighed happily as she found herself pressed up against him more fully. She mentally was cursing the presence of the boxers she felt against his hips. She wondered when exactly he began to wear any sort of undergarments. Her hands went to his hips to remove the garment, but he quickly halted her.

"They stay on," he chided her.

"Since when did you start wearing boxers?" she verbalized the thought she was having.

"I don't often," he conceded, "But proposing to you seemed like an appropriate place for them."

"No sex, boxers, what else has changed about you during our time apart?" she inquired.

Chuck looked towards the clock and determined it was time for his medication. He rose from the bed without a word and found his travel bag that he had to keep with him at all times now before disappearing into the bathroom.

"Chuck, you don't need to hide away while taking your medication," Blair stated as she plowed into the bathroom after him the moment she realized what he was doing.

"This isn't something I'm comfortable with yet," he admitted just after he swallowed his pills, "So forgive me for not wanting to broadcast my disorder to the world."

"There is no world here, just you and me," she told him, "I don't want you feeling as if you need to hide away to deal with this, especially from me."

"The doctors made the diagnosis. I'm taking the medication, but I'm far from accepting of this. This is going to take some time to wrap my head around," he told her as he rested his hands against the marble countertop to offer support.

"This isn't anything you have to be ashamed of," Blair whispered as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her body up against his backside, her cheek pressed into his back.

Chuck's head fell forward as his arms entwined with hers. Looking towards his reflection in the mirror, Blair spotted a single tear tumbling down his cheek that brought on her own.

"I'm damaged goods; I always have been."

Blair's arms tightened around him as she buried her head into his back again so he wouldn't see the tears that were coming. Just hearing him say the words broke her heart.

"Let's go sit in the sun," Blair suggested, her voice thick with the sobs she was desperately trying to hold back.

"We have no bathing suits," he reminded her as she lifted herself up onto her toes to kiss his cheek.

"You have boxers. I have a bra and panties. It's all the same," she replied, "Our clothes should be here by the afternoon. We can make due until then."

He nodded in agreement.

"Do you have a toothbrush in that bag?" she inquired as she motioned towards the black leather tote that was sitting atop the counter.

"I do," he replied.

"Do you mind if I use it?" she pressed on, "My teeth feel a little fuzzy."

He dug into the bag until he found the brush and tube of toothpaste. "I'm going to tell our caretaker to bring us breakfast on the beach. Any requests?"

"A croissant would be lovely, if it's an option," she replied.

He nodded as he disappeared to allow her a few moments to freshen up.

* * *

Chuck's somber mood continued through the morning. Blair tried everything in her arsenal to cheer him up, but it was to no avail. He was most comfortable with being depressed, so she let him stay in his somber mindset as he read from the book he'd had with him on the plane the day earlier, though the pages were hardly turning.

"I'm sorry," he stated suddenly as he set the book aside as he gave up on his ruse. "This is supposed to be a celebration of our reunion, and so far there hasn't been much in the way of celebration. How about we pop some champagne and toast our reunion?"

"What happened to being the designated driver?" Blair inquired as she rose from her chair to relocate herself into the chair with him.

"I can toast without partaking," he sighed. Clearly he had forgotten his predicament for a moment.

"Let's try sparkling cider," Blair offered. Their caretaker suddenly appeared as if she had been summoned. Blair smiled as she requested their drinks.

"Mister Bass, your jet requested final clearance. It should be landing within half an hour," Yvechelle announced just before she turned to retrieve their drinks.

"I like her, Bass," Blair smiled as she burrowed her head into his chest, "She like a Caribbean version of Dorota, always there when we need her, but never around when we don't."

She felt him chuckle against her. "I thought the same thing when I met her."

"Let's go for a swim," she suggested, "By the time we need to dry off our clothes should be waiting for us."

"Have you forgotten that we aren't in proper bathing suits?" he reminded her as his finger traced along the lace trim covering her breast. Even though he wanted to take things slow, he couldn't fight the temptation for long, and being so close after so many months made the longing for her that much greater.

"I can behave if you will," she spoke softly as she watched his fingers with fascination. Everything about their reunion felt different yet familiar. The way his touch felt was the same, but the way he touched was completely foreign. She was used to him mauling her as he tore at her clothes. Parading around in her lingerie had never been an option. He usually had it off before she could take a step past him.

"You're so beautiful," he said as he lowered his hands to her waist to anchor her into his lap. "There isn't a lot in this world that is beautiful to me, but you are. Every inch of you is simply exquisite."

Blair felt the heat in her cheeks brought on by his compliment. It had been so long since she'd allowed another man's word to have such an effect on her. Louis showered her with compliments, but they never were allowed to enter her heart they way Chuck's words were. She knew she'd hurt and embarrassed Louis by calling off the wedding so close to the actual date, and she'd left him to deal with the fall out all on his own. She would always feel awful about that, but she had to follow her heart.

Blair was startled from her thoughts as she felt Chuck's lips against her cheeks.

"You were a million miles away from me for a moment," Chuck whispered into her ear.

"I didn't care for Louis like I care for you, but I feel horrible for the way I left things with him," she admitted as she burrowed in against his chest again, "I just tossed his ring back at him and walked away."

"Do you think it would have hurt less if you'd given him a long, drawn out explanation as to how you've always loved me more than you loved him?" Chuck inquired.

"No, but he still deserved an explanation," she replied, "And so do you. I was wrong to go back to Louis after what happened between us at that bar mitzvah. No matter what you may have said, I should have followed my heart. It leads back to you. It always has."

"I was just giving you what I though you wanted," he replied.

"I wanted you," she responded.

"But it's easy with him," Chuck replied.

"It's easy because I don't care enough about him to make it difficult," Blair explained, "Love isn't supposed to be easy, Chuck."

"But it should make you feel good," he stated, "And I don't do that."

"Perhaps not everyday, but I feel a hundred times better with you in the good moments than I do with Louis in his greatest moments. I've made my choice, and I'm not going to let you talk me out of it. I choose you. I love you."

Chuck struggled out of the chair and ventured towards the water's edge.

"Don't you dare drown yourself, Bass," Blair hissed as she followed him, "I will breathe life back into you and then beat it out of you again."

Chuck turned towards her suddenly. With speed that startled her, he had her in his arms as he plowed his way through the surf until he was deep enough to drop her without fear of injuring her.

"Chuck Bass, have you lost your mind?" Blair hollered as she surfaced, sputtering water as she went. He was bent at the waist, laughing hysterically. As she found her footing she began slapping at any piece of exposed flesh that she could find, intending to inflict the most pain she could.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you look wet?" he laughed as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pinning hands at her waist.

"Don't even try using that Bass charm on me right now. It's not going to work. You dropped me into whatever body of water this. I could have drowned."

"You were the one that wanted to go for a dip," he pointed out as she struggled against his grip in an attempt to free her hands.

"This wasn't what I had in mind," she continued to scowl at him. "I was hoping for a joyful frolic in the surf, not being unceremoniously dumped into the water."

"I'm sorry," he pouted pathetically, "How shall I make it up to you?"

"I would say something sparkly, but you took care of that yesterday," she smiled as her thumb traced the band of her ring to ensure that it was still on her finger. She would have been heartbroken if she'd lost it so soon after receiving it, but she knew Chuck would take it harder.

"Make a decision, Waldorf," he commanded her as she began weighing her options, "This is a limited time offer."

She thought for a moment. It suddenly occurred to her that they hadn't truly kissed since she'd accepted his proposal. "One kiss that leaves us both weak in the knees."

He allowed her arms to be freed as he tightened his hold around her waist. Automatically her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she anchored herself to him in anticipation, unconsciously licking her lips. The sight of her tantalizing tongue drew out a moan from the back of his throat as his lips touched hers. He was gentle at first; his lips barely grazed against her as he gave her just enough to rekindle her desire for him.

She whimpered as his tongue ran slowly along the seam of her lips seeking permission, which she quickly granted, her fingers tangling into the hairs at the nape of his neck as he angled himself to get better access. There tongues began a familiar duel for dominance.

"Chuck," she gasped as she broke free reluctantly for breath. Her chest was heaving as she gulped in the desperately needed air. Her head came to rest in the hollow of his neck as she hung onto him for dear life.

"Was your wish granted?" he smiled against her neck as he continued to peck away.

"Knees are definitely weak, yours?"

"Sufficiently shaking," he replied.

"Let's go dry off," she suggested, "Our cider should be waiting and our clothes should be arriving soon."

He nodded as he followed her back to their chairs were he tossed a towel around his hips before he wrapped the other towel around her shoulders, rubbing gently to dry her off.

Blair reached for the two glasses of freshly poured cider and handed one to Chuck. "Will you say the toast? You always do so wonderfully."

Chuck cleared his throat to give himself a moment to gather his thoughts. "To renewed love and a promising future to come. May we never let obstacles come between us again, big or small. May every moment we have together be something to cherish, and may we cherish every moment we have together."

"Perfection," she smiled as she rang her glass against his before taking a sip.

"Are you hungry?" he inquired as he took his own sip before setting the glass aside, "I could have Yvechelle make us something as it's nearly lunch time."

"I am a little hungry," she nodded, "Perhaps a light lunch on the veranda."

"There is a dining room to use," he told her as he took her hand and led her back into the home.

"Why would we use a dining room when we have such a stunning view from the veranda?" she smiled as they climbed the staircase to their bedroom where their luggage had already been unpacked.

"Noted," he nodded as he began rifling through the drawers to determine which were his and which were hers. He wasn't the least bit surprised to find that all but two of the drawers and more than three quarters of their closet were full of her clothes, but he had enough to get by. He quickly grabbed a couple of garments and disappeared into the bathroom without a word.

Blair looked towards the closed bathroom door for a moment trying to discern his mood. She went through a mental checklist as she had done so many times before. Could she have said something to upset him? Was there something in the room that could have sparked an unhappy memory? He suddenly emerged with a smile on his face in a fresh change of clothes, looking as dapper as always.

"Something the matter, Beautiful?" Chuck inquired as he stepped towards her upon seeing the slight frown on her face.

"You disappeared so suddenly. I thought perhaps you were upset about something," she explained as his hand ran along her cheek gently. The towel around her shoulders fell to the floor.

"I just stepped in to change," he replied, "I wanted to remove myself from temptation."

"Temptation," she repeated in the hope that he'd elaborate.

"My beautiful fiancée standing in our tropical bedroom in nothing more than her lingerie," he smiled, "I don't know of much that would be more tempting than that. To make it impossibly more tempting, she's dripping wet, and although I'm trying to be a gentleman here, the garments are virtually transparent at the moment leaving very little to my overly vivid imagination."

Blair felt the blush creep up to her cheeks as she tried to cover herself. Chuck quickly caught her arms and pinned them behind her back as he brought her flush against him.

"I wasn't complaining," he smirked, "If it's possible, you are more beautiful than I remember."

Blair's eyes immediately clouded over with lust as they settled on his lips. He may be trying to be noble, but she wanted the hormone driven man that she'd fallen in love with. She'd been starved of his affections for far too long. She needed him. "Chuck, please, make love to me."

"So tempting," he whispered against her lips, "But not yet."

"Why not," she pouted, "I need you so desperately."

"The feeling is entirely mutual," he assured her as he ran the pad of his thumb along her lips, "But I've wrecked so much of my life with sex. I want to enjoy these moments we have together without the complications."

"But sex is what brought us together," she insisted.

"Love brought us together," he told her, "Sex got in the way of that. That night you danced for me at Victrola, I felt a connection to you that I've never felt for anyone else in my life. We should have explored that, but instead we had sex and that drove you away."

"That's not what happened," she insisted.

"Perhaps not at first," he conceded.

"Chuck . . ."

"Please, Blair, just let me have this," Chuck interrupted her, his eyes pleading with her to relent.

"Do you not want me?" she broke down in tears.

"Don't say that," he replied as he began to wipe away her tears, "Don't even think that. I want you . . . so much, but I want to do this the right way, all of this. I've wasted so many chances with you that I don't even know how many that you've given me. I can't waste one more. My heart cannot take one more. You are everything to me. You're the air I breathe. Please, Blair, let me get this right."

The silence in the room was nearly unbearable as she processed his request.

"Okay," she nodded finally.

"Thank you." His eyes were filled with the gratitude and love that he felt for her.

"Let me change out of these transparent clothes, and then we can have lunch."

He kissed her lips softly and then stepped away. Unlike him, she was not going to remove the temptation as she stripped off her bra and panties in plain sight of him before she pranced over to the dresser to decide what to wear. There was no hint of her previous awkwardness at being naked, nor was there any attempts made to discourage his gaze. She may have agreed to his request to wait, but she wasn't going to stop tempting him into action.

* * *

"Our first full day in paradise is gone," Blair sighed as they sat on the beach and watched the sun slip below the horizon. She was sitting in his lap once more with his arms around her waist. At his side was a champagne bucket, though all it contained was another bottle of sparkling cider.

"Speaking of paradise, you'll need to come up with a name for our Caribbean getaway," he told her as he kissed her shoulder lightly.

"Doesn't this place already have a name?" she inquired as she took a sip of the bubbly liquid in her glass. She felt guilty about drinking in front of him, even though he insisted that he was fine with it. He'd had Yvechelle go as far as open a bottle of the finest champagne they had on the island, but she hadn't had a drop of it until that moment, even then it was just a tiny sip.

"It does," he nodded, "But it's not actually one that I'd consider keeping."

"What is the name?" she pressed.

"Misery Island," he revealed reluctantly.

"Why in the world would someone name such a beautiful island something so awful?" Blair gasped.

"I haven't a clue," Chuck replied, "But I would say that this island deserves a name that is more fitting. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I absolutely agree," she replied, "How about Paradise Island?"

"Is that as creative as we can get?" he chuckled.

"Waldass Island," she suggested.

"Bassdorf," he chuckled.

"Bluck," she laughed along with him.

"Chair," he tossed out there.

"Let's agree to not name it after ourselves or any combination of our names," she replied, "How about Evelyn Isle?"

"After my mother," he realized quickly, "My real mother."

"Elizabeth really wasn't your mother, was she," Blair frowned.

"Jack found out I was doing the DNA test and had the results altered," Chuck explained. "Elizabeth didn't know. She genuinely thought she was my mother."

"Does that mean that you have a sibling out there?" Blair inquired.

"No," he shook his head, "Her son died as an infant. Bart wasn't his father. They may have had an affair, but it didn't result in me."

"How did you find out?"

"Jack told me. When he came to New York to help clear Bart's name and take down Russell Thorpe, he told me. I didn't take his story at face value, so I had it investigated. Elizabeth Fisher's son was born three months before my birthday," he explained.

"Does anyone else know any of this?" Blair asked.

"Nobody else knows," he shook his head, "Not Nathaniel, not Lily. It was one of the things that set me down my path to rock bottom."

"I'm sorry I brought any of it up," she replied. If she hadn't brought up Evelyn, he wouldn't have thought about what happened with Elizabeth. It was a sting that would not go away anytime soon, especially now that it had all been a lie.

"It's okay," he told her as he nuzzled her neck, "I like the idea of naming the island after my mother. As long as you're okay with it."

"Are you sure?" she pressed, "I want this to be a place that we come to escape the world and our problems."

"It will be," he assured her.

Without warning the skies above opened up, sending torrential downpours upon them. Blair let out a squeal of surprise as she picked up the ice bucket and dashed towards the house. Chuck however laid back and let the rain wash over him.

Realizing that he wasn't behind her, Blair looked out to try and find him. She was startled to see that he was laying in the sand where she had left him with his arms stretched out. She thought perhaps something horrible had happened to him and ran back out. She fell to her knees next to him and began shaking him, "Chuck, Chuck, are you alright?"

Chuck began laughing as he pulled her on top of him, kissed her deeply.

"Chuck, it's pouring down rain!" she slapped his chest as she pulled away, "Come inside before you catch a cold."

"Stay here with me," Chuck held her hand tight. "I've never taken the time to enjoy these wonders of nature. It's about time I do, and I want to enjoy this with you."

"Chuck, I'm dripping wet."

"Doesn't it feel wonderful," he laughed out.

"No, it feels wet," she replied as she freed herself from his grasp. "I'll enjoy the storm from inside. Come join me when you return to your senses."

She waited, patiently for nearly thirty minutes. He laid still as the water continued to pour down on him when Blair suddenly had an epiphany. He wasn't simply enjoying Mother Nature's offering. He was letting it wash away his sins, as if it was the only way he could truly ever be worthy of being with her.

When the rain reduced to a mere sprinkle he picked himself up off the sand. When he stepped inside, Blair's arms wrapped around him immediately.

"You're cold," Chuck replied as he felt her shiver against him, "Let's get you out of these wet clothes."

"You're soaked to the bone," Blair replied as she began unbuttoning his shirt. Her hands were shaking. He grasped her hands to still them before he picked her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom, bypassing the bed on his way into the bathroom where he set her on the edge of the tub as he turned on the warm water. "Bathe with me," she requested.

"This feels like entrapment," he told her as he lifted her blouse over her head.

"I promise to behave," she told him as she resumed her unbuttoning of his shirt.

"No funny business, Waldorf," he cautioned her as he shrugged out of his shirt and then removed his trousers.

When the tub was full enough, Blair slipped into the water and waited for Chuck to join her. She didn't have to wait long as he quickly slid in behind her. They sat in silence for a few minutes as they savored the feel of their bare skin against one another.

"This feels a hundred times more intimate than sex," Blair announced suddenly.

"Why do you say that?" he inquired as he reached for the sponge and began running it along her skin.

"You've had sex with probably hundreds of women, but how many times have you bathed with any of them?"

"Only with you," he assured her.

"That's what I thought," she smiled, "This is special, sacred even."

"Everything with you is sacred."

"When you say things like that, it makes it very hard for me to keep my promise about behaving," she giggled, "Because all I want to do right now is turn around and have my way with you."

"Part of me wants you to have your way with me," he chuckled, "But a larger part of me wants us to wait. We have the rest of our lives."

"I know," she sighed, "But it doesn't make the waiting any easier."

"I know," he nodded, "But I love you for agreeing to it for me."

"I love you too."

**TBC. . .**

**Kind of light with the responses last chapter. I hope you all like this one a bit better.**

**FYI, I have not yet watched the 100****th**** episode of GG, but I've been told I will not like what I see. Hopefully my fellow chair fans have not given up yet. I honestly don't believe that Blair will allow herself to stay in such a farce of a marriage for long. I'm hoping for a swift annulment. Who's with me?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**I want to start off with a big thank you to all of you who are still reading this. I know it's hard to be a Chair fan right now, but you all are showing your faith. We will get each other through this. I'm hoping our dynamic duo has a plan. Who's with me?**

Blair awoke the next morning with the warmth of Chuck at her side. It brought tears to her eyes the thought that she'd nearly denied herself this moment. She'd almost married another man, a man that even though he was wonderful and treated her like royalty wasn't the man that she'd loved, certainly not in the way a woman should love her husband. This man at her side was that man. She knew that she could never lose sight of that again. They were going to have their bumps, and there were going to be days that she would hate him, but at the end of everyday she would always love him more than any hatred she's build up.

She'd somehow managed to talk him out of wearing his trademark silk pajamas to bed, so she could revel in the feel of his bare skin. She allowed her fingers to sift through the coarse hairs at his chest.

"Careful, Waldorf, that hand is drifting into dangerous territory," he mumbled as her hand drifted low to his abdomen.

"I was just seeing how low I could go before you woke up," she told with an innocent look as Chuck's fingers tangled with hers as he brought her hand to a safer destination of his upper chest.

"I'm awake now," he smiled as he gathered her close to him.

"Yes, you are," she smiled as she wrapped herself into him further.

"What shall we do today?" he inquired as he brushed a stray hair behind her ear. They could hear the pattering of rain against their windows. They didn't need to draw the blinds to know that today was going to be washed out by the weather.

"Let's just stay in bed all day," her eyes glimmered with a familiar mischievousness.

"We both know that's not going to be an option," he chuckled as he released her and rolled onto his back.

Not wanting to be denied of his warmth, she curled herself into him as tightly as she could. "That library that we were shown yesterday seemed to have a plentiful supply of books. Perhaps we could find one that is entertaining to us both and take turns reading it to each other, or we could see what the movie theater has stocked and watch a film," she suggested, "Or perhaps a game of chess. Perhaps you'll get lucky this time and beat me."

"I've always let you win at chess," he confessed.

"You do not," she slapped away at his chest. "You are entirely too sore when you lose."

"Which isn't nearly as sore as you would be if you lost," he laughed.

"That settles it," Blair announced, "We are going to play chess, and you are going to play to win. May the best player win."

"I accept your challenge," he replied.

"And the loser has to run around the island naked for two hours the next day that the sun is out without sunscreen," Blair decided to up the wager to ensure that he would truly play to win. She knew his skin would burn to a crisp in that amount of time, and he would surely be miserable.

"Done," he agreed.

After a quick breakfast in which they each showed a bit of gamesmanship by staring the other down without speaking, they set up the board and began to play. What was usually a mere two-hour contest turned in to an all day event. Having decided to play without time limits, it was common for each to take twenty to thirty minutes to make a move as they analyzed every possible outcome.

"You're trying to distract me," he called her out as she drew patterns along his hand as he was analyzing his next move.

"I am not!" she scoffed. In truth she wasn't distracting him to gain an advantage in the game. She was craving his touch. They'd been playing the same game all day, sitting across from each other with very little physical contact. She needed more.

"Cheaters never prosper," he teased as he made his next move.

Blair quickly processed his move and realized he had left her a huge opening. Two more moves and she would be the victor. Not wanting to seem eager she played it coy, waiting several minutes before she made her next move, calling out, "Check."

Before she could have another thought, Chuck moved another piece, calling out, "Checkmate."

"What!" she gasped in horror as she looked down at the board. She couldn't possibly have lost.

"I believe that is game," he replied with a proud smirk as he rose up from the table.

"The game isn't over. This isn't checkmate," Blair stated in disbelief. It simply couldn't be checkmate. She refused to acknowledge that she'd lost.

"Stare at the board for as long as you want, it's checkmate," he replied as he came around behind her to stare over her shoulder. With a kiss to her earlobe he added, "But I commend you on an excellent game."

"Don't patronize me, Bass," she growled as she knocked over the board, all the pieces still left on it went flying across the room.

"This is why I let you win," he replied as he picked up the board along with a few of the closest pieces.

Blair let out a squeak of annoyance as she turned on her heel and left the room. Her heals clicking across the marble floor as she made her way up to their bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her. Knowing she'd need a bit of time to cool down, he took his time in putting the board away.

"Is everything alright, Mister Bass?" Yvechelle inquired as she came in with the tea she had made for the pair.

"Oh, yes," he chuckled, "Blair is just upset because I did as she asked and the outcome wasn't in her favor."

"It's none of my business, but there seems to be a lot of hesitation between the two of you," the caretaker stated her observation, "Trepidation is perhaps a better way to put it."

"It's complicated," Chuck sighed.

"Love always is," she smiled, "Take me and my Tomas. Before we came to this island, we fought nonstop. This island healed us."

"Blair and I are definitely in need of healing," he replied.

"You should try the hot springs on the other side of the island," she suggested, "The previous caretaker swore by them. She always used to say that they'd cure anything that ails you."

"May I ask a question about the island?" Chuck inquired.

"Of course," she nodded.

"Why was it called Misery Island?"

"The original owner of this property was a rich man that bought this island for a woman he planned to make his wife. He was desperately in love with her as was she in love with him, but there was a second man in the picture that was vying for her attentions. On the eve of bringing his ladylove to this island and proposing, he was talked out of it by the second man. The second man claimed that he was better for her and could make her happier. Never truly feeling as though he deserved her the owner conceded to the second man and walked away, breaking the heart of his ladylove and himself. He came to the island alone and drank himself nearly into oblivion. In his drunken stupor, he came up with the name 'Misery Island'. The caretaker eventually hauled him into the springs and made him sit there until he pulled himself out of it. With a renewed sense of purpose he returned to his lady, begged her to leave her then husband. She did, and they ran away together. They returned to the island very briefly where he did propose," Yvechelle explained.

"Why didn't he keep the island and simply rename it?" Chuck inquired. The irony of the story was not lost on him. It was as if she was telling the story of him and Blair.

"That part of the story is fuzzy," she admitted, "All of that happened before Tomas and I came to the island. The original caretaker was getting on in age. We only know as much as we do because of the journal that she kept. She never mentioned why the island was sold, or why none of the other owners changed it. Mister Hollywood was the one to hire Tomas and myself. We understood why he didn't change it. He simply wasn't creative enough."

"Blair and I will be changing it," Chuck replied.

"Which Tomas and I would truly appreciate," she laughed, "Have you any ideas yet?"

"We came across one yesterday, Evelyn Isle, after my mother," Chuck explained.

"By the hint of sadness in your eyes, am I to conclude she is no longer with us?"

"She died the day I was born," he nodded.

"I'm very sorry, Mister Bass."

"I should go see if Blair has calmed down yet," Chuck stated in a sudden effort to change subjects.

"A spot of tea couldn't hurt," Yvechelle smiled as she handed him the tray.

"You don't have a white flag handy, do you?" Chuck inquired as he accepting the tray.

The caretaker quickly adjusted a few pieces of the china on the tray and pulled out the linen napkin. "This should work sufficiently."

* * *

"I surrender," Chuck announced as he opened the door just enough to slip his white flag into the room.

"Chuck, don't be stupid. I'm not mad at you," she replied as she went to the door and yanked the napkin out of his hand. He pushed in carefully to reveal the tea tray he'd been carrying.

"I could have sworn that you were the one that knocked the chess set onto the floor and then stormed out of the library. Perhaps that was my other fiancée," he mused as he set the tray on their bed.

"I'm mad, but not at you," she sighed as she poured herself a cup of tea. "I'm mad at myself. I thought I had the game won. I didn't see the angle you were playing and was blindsided."

"If it makes you feel any better, I won't hold you to our wager," he offered.

"No backing out," she held firm, "Because I would have made you do it if I had won. I'll keep up my end of the deal."

"I'll propose a more secluded location," Chuck suggested.

"More secluded, Chuck, there are four people on this island. How much more secluded can it get?"

"There are actually ten people on this island at the moment," he corrected her, "Our two caretakers and my flight crew."

"I didn't know that," she admitted, "Where are they?"

"In the staff cottage," Chuck replied, "It's a separate residence half way across the island. It's were Yvechelle and her husband, Tomas, have their permanent residence, and were other staff members stay when they come onto the island."

"So this secluded spot is where?" she inquired.

"Different side of the island, I think," he responded, "I'll have to ask Yvechelle for an exact destination. It's supposed to be a magical place."

"Isn't this entire island magical?" she smiled.

"Drink your tea," he smirked as he reached for the remote to open the window blinds. The clouds appeared to be breaking up enough that their ritual sunset might be a possibility.

**TBC. . .**

**Here's hoping that the Dominican is still an option in the very near future.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

After a leisurely stroll to the springs, Chuck was setting up for their day by laying out towels and setting out the food and beverages that the island care taker had thoughtfully prepared. He was seriously considering bringing Yvechelle and Tomas to New York after they left. He didn't think he'd be able to pry Dorota away from Blair's mother, and they were going to need someone as efficient and discreet to keep tend to their new home when they were married, whenever that would be.

"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" he chuckled as he watched Blair apply the sunscreen to every uncovered part of her body in preparation for her two hours of nude sunbathing. Thankfully she was still in her bikini for the moment, but he knew that wasn't going to last much longer though she had successful renegotiated the no sunscreen clause that morning as they ate breakfast.

"We had a deal," she reminded him, "And I will not start our renewed relationship by backing out on this."

"I'm not holding you to this," he told her yet again. In truth, he was afraid of how he'd react to her being in such close proximity with no clothes on for that length of time. Yes, she'd paraded around him at various moments of the day in nothing but her birthday suit, but this was entirely different. He'd found the will power to turn away for those briefest of moments. This was going to be for two solid hours. He could feel his body responding to just the mere thought of it. He knew the reality was going to be so much worse.

"I'm holding myself to this," she responded as she held out the sunscreen to him as she tugged at the string of her bikini. "I need you to do my back."

And just like that, the top of her bikini was carelessly discarded, and Chuck was frozen in place.

"Come on, Chuck, this isn't anything that you haven't seen before," she wiggled the sunscreen in his face to get his attention as she gathered her hair away from the nape of her neck with her other hand. Before she could comprehend what was happening, she heard a splash as Chuck dove into the water. She knelt down next to the water's edge as he swam around for a few moments. "In need of a little cooling off in the hot springs?"

Reacting quickly, he swam towards her and tugged on her hand. Her face froze in terror as she felt herself falling forward into the water.

"What is this obsession you have with trying to drown me?" she came up sputtered as she resurfaced, splashing water in his face as he laughed victoriously.

Without a moment to react, Chuck pulled her towards him as his lips crashed against hers, kissing her in a way that he hadn't in such a long time. She whimpered against him as she allowed him to assault her lips without thought of retaliating.

"Chuck, please," she moaned as her legs wrapped around his hips. She could feel his hardness against her stomach. She knew he needed her as much as she needed him. It had been too long since they'd given into temptation. Her entire body was screaming out for him.

Chuck heard her plea and began an internal tug of war. His body wanted her, desperately needed her. He knew she could feel it, but he needed this to be about more than just the physical desire.

Just as she thought he was about to give in, he pulled away. She couldn't pretend any longer that his repeated rejection didn't hurt. He'd professed that he wanted her yet each time she offered herself to him he had yet another reason to keep her away.

"What is wrong with you?" she snapped as she pulled herself out of the water and wrapped a towel around her body. "You claim to love me and want me, yet every time I try to give myself to you, you pull away."

"I'm not rejecting you, Blair," he insisted as he pulled himself out quickly.

"Yes, you are!" she exclaimed, "You have been since the moment I said yes to your propose, before then even. I wanted to be with you. I was going to end things with Louis to be with you, but you just walked away. Do you have any idea how much that hurt?"

"I was doing what I thought was best for you," he stated defensively.

"That is such bullshit!" she cried out, "You were doing what was easiest for you. You saw what that night was going to lead to. You saw the forever that you weren't ready for, so you threw me towards the first person you could find to clear your conscience before you ran, yet again."

"Giving you to Louis wasn't easy for me," he snapped, "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me? Do you have any idea how sick it made me to know that you were in his arms when I desperately wanted you in mine? I knew how messed up I was . . . am, and I couldn't bare to drag you down with me. That night I put my hand through the glass window, if you hadn't run out when you did, I don't know what I could have done to you. I don't know where I would have stopped, if I could have. If I could do that to the woman that I loved, what else could I be capable of? The fear I saw in your eyes still haunts me."

"That fear that you saw that night was not any fear that I have of you. I know without a doubt that you would never hurt me in that way. I was scared for you. You were sinking so far down. I wanted to pull you back up, but when you put your hand through that glass I realized that my being there was the worst thing for you in that moment. I couldn't help you. It killed me to leave you that night and every night before and after. The worst for me was when you left me to Louis. It felt like you were slapping me in the face, that the night, that magic moment where you rescued me and made love to me was just some façade, that it didn't mean anything to you."

"I'm sorry," he stated, "That was never my intent."

"I know you did it because you thought that it would make me happy, but the only thing that can ever truly make me happy is you. You're all I need, Bass," she replied as she found herself calmly down just a touch. "For all your faults, you are still the only man that I can ever allow myself to truly love. If that makes me weak and pathetic, then so be it. I'd rather be thought that way than to deny myself the happiness that I know only you can provide. That's never going to change. Tell me what I need to say to get that through your head."

"I think you just did," he replied.

She saw that moment where the light bulb finally seemed to turn on inside his head and her words were allowed to sink in. She had said yes to his marriage proposal a few days earlier, but this was the moment where he'd finally allowed himself to believe it.

They stood before each other for several moments. Their eyes locked.

"Please, Chuck," she requested for what felt like the millionth time. Her lip quivered and her voice shook, "Make love to me."

The hopefulness in her voice and eyes were his undoing as he peeled the towel wrapped around her body away before his arms entwined around her waist, pulling her in close. She held perfectly still, afraid that if she'd moved a muscle he'd realize what he was doing and pull away from her as he had been doing since they'd first arrived on the island.

"I can say I love you until I take my very last breath, but it doesn't come close to expressing just how much I truly do love you," he told her as he brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he bent in to kiss her cheek tenderly.

"The only way you need to express your love for me is to stop rejecting me and make love to me," she urged him.

"No more pulling away," he assured her, "No more running from my feelings."

"Good," she replied as she pulled him towards the cavern that the waterfall concealed.

"Hold that thought for just a moment," he told her as just as she began lowering herself to the hard rock floor. Blair felt the disappointment in the pit of her stomach as he left her arms yet again, but he disappeared for a moment only to return with the towel that had been around her body moments earlier. After he'd spread out the towel he lowered her onto it as he followed her. Love and relief washed over her as he lowered his lips to her neck to begin his seduction.

Chuck was slow and methodical as he worked all her erogenous zones in perfect rhythm. Her entire body was humming in pleasure before he even settled himself between her legs.

"You have to lose the swim trunks in order for this to work," she teased as he hovered above her. He blushed sheepishly as her hands went to his waist, pushing them out of their way.

"Are you sure?" Chuck asked as he paused the moment before he was about to slip into her.

"Yes, Chuck, I'm sure," she nodded as she ran her fingers through the short hair at the nape of his neck, "I love you. I'm going to marry you, and we are going to have a wonderful and happy life together."

Chuck slipped inside her and finally for the first time in forever felt complete.

* * *

Returning to the main house after their frolic in the springs, they were both giddy and giggly.

"Mister Bass, I have lunch waiting for you and Ms. Waldorf on the veranda," Yvechelle announced.

"Thank you," Chuck nodded as he pulled Blair along, "And thank you for the recommendation of visiting the springs. You were right, they do have a magical feel to them."

"They certainly do," Blair smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, kissing him deeply as he backed her towards the veranda, navigating the path from memory as neither could force themselves to pull away.

"I am famished," he announced as he sat at the table as Blair plopped herself in his lap, "That was quite a workout you put me through."

"It was a long time coming," she giggled as she popped a grape into his mouth before she took one for herself.

"Interesting choice of words," he teased, "Coming."

"After a few moments to catch your breath, we're going to have to see if you can make me do that again," she returned his playful banter.

"I intend to," he replied as a mischievous wink.

"Eat," she told him, "You're going to need your strength."

"Who can think of food with such a temptress sitting in my lap?" he replied as he nibbled at her shoulder lightly.

"Then I'm removing the temptation," she told him as she stood abruptly. His reflexes kicked in as he reached for her waist and brought her back into his lap.

"You are not going anywhere," he told her as she squealed in surprise as he bent her back parallel to the ground and devoured her lips. "You awoke this beast. You must deal with the consequences."

"Absolutely," she sighed happily, "But first food."

"Food first," he conceded.

"And then maybe a nap," she offered, "You've worn me out, Bass."

"We'll negotiated on the nap after we've satisfied that rumbling belly," he replied as he heard her tummy begin to growl back at him.

"Deal," she replied as she reached for more grapes.

"My ladylove shouldn't be feeding herself," he told her as he snatched the vine of grapes out of her reach.

Blair merely held her mouth open as she waited for him to feed her. Bite by bite, her seduction drove him near the end of insanity with the way she worked the food around on her tongue, the way her lips moved as she accepted each bite.

"You're so turned on right now, aren't you?" she chuckled sinisterly.

"You have no idea," he groaned as she wiggled in his lap.

"I think I have some idea," she giggled as she nipped at his shoulder lightly, "I think we can postpone the nap until you put me through your special workout routine."

"God, I love you," he groaned.

"Finish your lunch," she advised him, "You're going to need your strength."

**TBC. . .**

**An interesting question was raised by one of my fantastic readers after this past week's episode that I'm going to throw out to all of you in hopes of finding an answer. What did Blair mean when she was talking to Eleanor at the end of the episode in which it was only for a year? That she has to stay married? That she has to live in Monaco? I'm stumped. Any guesses? **

**Again many thanks for all of your support. I hope you all enjoyed Blair and Chuck's frolic in the springs. I know they did.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"How much longer are you wanting to stay on this island?" Blair inquired as they laid in bed, Blair's head resting on his chest, his heart hammering in her ears had a soothing effect on her soul. The window shades were open. They were watching the rain pound against the closed doors. Another tropical downpour had encroached upon their island. Days earlier the rain would have been a most unwelcomed intruder, but now it gave them an excuse to stay in bed.

"Getting bored in paradise?" he chuckled as his fingers tangled in her mess of curls. He'd woken up to the beautiful mess and refused to let her run a brush through her hair, going so far as to hide it from her knowing that she would try to sneak back into the bathroom second time. She was far from her usual perfection, yet amazingly still perfect.

"No," she shook her head vigorously, "I'm loving this time we're having together."

"But," he prompted her as he pecked at her forehead.

"There is a real world out there, and it feels like we're hiding away from everything," she explained as her fingers walked a path around his chest, savoring the feeling of the course hair against her fingertips, "Like we're ashamed of what we did. I don't feel shame, Chuck. I feel bad for what I did to Louis. I owe him an apology, but I'm not sorry for the choice that I made. You and I fit, Bass. Louis and I didn't."

"You don't owe me an explanation," he told her, "I am overjoyed with the decision you made. I get to wake up with you in my arms every morning for the rest of our lives."

"The rest of our lives," she smiled as she spun her engagement ring around her finger with her thumb, "I like the way that sounds."

"How about we stay a few more days," he suggested, "I'd hate to leave without seeing the sun one last time, and enjoy that brilliant sunset."

"Agreed," she nodded, "And I know we're a little ways away from an actually wedding, but have you given it any thought?"

"I figured we'd have whatever type of wedding you'd want," he replied, "I'll leave you to plan it however you choose, and I'll merely write the checks."

"No," she shook her head, "You are not going to leave me to do all of the planning myself. I nearly lost my mind planning my last wedding. Don't make me suffer through that again." She suddenly began snickering at the words she'd just spoken.

"Losing your mind in suddenly funny," he eyed her curiously.

"No, planning my second wedding," she continued laughing, "I always figured I'd have to plan more than one wedding. I just always thought I'd have to go through one of those messy divorces first."

"You've always had this thought," he frowned, "Even when we were together."

"I suppose not," she replied after she thought about it for a moment. "I guess I figured if we ever got down the aisle to the 'death do us parts', that it would be the one that would stick. I figured we'd simply be too stubborn to give up."

"You didn't figure we would get there though," he concluded.

"I tried not to let my mind get too far ahead of where we were," she admitted, "Commitment was such a new concept for you. I figured that it would take time, and then everything fell apart before our eyes."

"I never thought about marriage until I'd lost you and realized how empty my life felt without you," he explained.

"This still feels like a dream," she replied as she spun her ring around her finger with her thumb one more time. "You and I are engaged. We're getting married."

"Any thoughts as to when you'll want to take that walk down the aisle?" he inquired, "Because I'd understand if you want to wait."

"I haven't really thought about the when just yet, but I think that you and I should get married in the most unexpected and unpredictable way," she smiled.

"Naked in Time Square," he suggested.

"Maybe here on the island with just a witness or two," she suggested with a smirk at his previous offering, "People most definitely will not be expecting us to return from our self imposed exile married."

"Do you really want to do that to all those that are closest to us?" he inquired, "I don't know if I can envision marrying you without your father walking you down the aisle. It wouldn't feel right."

"Maybe we can have both," she offered, "We could have a private ceremony here at sunset, and then we have the over the top ceremony down the road."

"There is no need to rush," he told her, "Neither of us is running the other direction."

"I'm not rushing because I'm scared," she insisted.

"Then what is your rush?" he asked.

"I want to be married to you. Why does it have to be any more complicated than that?"

"Because you and I are more complicated than that," he told her.

"Because I'm pregnant," she stated.

"You're preg . . ." he stammered out, "Is it Louis's?"

"No, it's yours," she stated.

"Are you sure?"

"It could only be yours," she insisted.

"How long have you known?"

"I've suspected for awhile. I had Dorota send me a test when she packed our bags. I'd been getting the nerve up to take it. I finally did that day we played chess. I took it after I stormed out on you after you won. It was positive, and I'm beyond positive that it's yours'. I've been trying to figure out how and when to tell you ever since."

"How can you be so sure the baby is mine?" he pressed. He needed her to give him an explanation that was beyond her simple say so.

"It requires a specific act to conceive a child," she explained, "Louis and I never got there. This baby is yours, Chuck . . . ours."

"We're having a baby," he stated.

"We've never talked about children," she stated nervously as she began talking at double speed, "I know this is a surprise . . . to us both, but this baby was conceived out of love. He or she wasn't planned, but I want this in a way I didn't realize until I took the test and realized that it really happened. You can be surprised or mad or angry or any other emotion that you choose, but eventually I need you to be okay with this."

"We're having a baby," he repeated.

"Yes," she nodded as his hand suddenly closed in around her stomach.

"I'm going to be a father," he stated, his voice filled with disbelief and awe.

"Yes, you are," she continued to nod as tears filled her eyes as she watched the corners of his mouth began to twitch into the slightest of smiles.

"My child is growing inside your body," he replied, his mind going through every possible analogy he could think of so the news would settle in faster. This moment had suddenly become the most important moment of his life. He had to get this reaction right. One day his child was going to ask how he felt about becoming a father. He couldn't disappoint him or her, and Blair was looking at him with eager eyes.

He could feel his heart begin to race. All the disappointment he felt as a child by being rejected by his own father came flooding back. He had the opportunity to finally be a better man than Bart. Every unbroken promise Bart had once made to him, he had the chance to now honor with his own child.

A single tear trailed down Chuck's cheek as his lips dusted along her stomach. When he looked up into Blair's eyes, a full smile was on his face and his eyes were swimming with happiness. It was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen as she caressed his face.

"Completely unplanned and unexpected," he stated, "Like how we began."

"But one of the most welcomed and wonderful additions to our life, right?" she asked with a slight hitch in her voice.

"Yes," he drew out the word as he captured her lips in a searing kiss that took both of their breaths away. "Marry me, Blair."

"I've already said yes," she reminded him as she flashed his engagement ring in his face.

"Marry me, right here, right now," he rephrased his question, "We get someone from the flight crew or the island ordained, and we get married."

"What about our family and friends?" she reminded him, "Weren't you just saying a few minutes ago that you couldn't envision marrying me without my father giving me away."

"That was before you told me that I was going to be the father of your child," he told her, "Nothing should stand in the way of us becoming a family."

"We already are a family," she told him as she caressed her stomach softly, allowing herself to finally enjoy this gift they'd been given.

"I love you, Blair."

"I love you, Chuck."

**TBC. . .**

**A little short, but I believe this will please a lot of the readers of my last story that I bummed out by not having Blair pregnant. In this story it made sense.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Got to give Lori2279 props for betaing this chapter. I know we're all suffering from the show's current direction. Hopefully this is just a bump along the road to Blair and Chuck's happy ending.**

**Having said that, I'm going to keep going with this story as planned. So many people are excited for the bundle of joy, and I assure you I will be going into the pregnancy and birth and maybe even after that. We'll see.**

**Enjoy and stay tuned.**

"Wake up, Beautiful," Chuck coaxed her out of her beautiful dream by running a tropical flower along the column of her throat softly.

"Let me sleep," she mumbled as she brushed the flower away and tried to burrow under the covers to block out the sun's powerful rays, "I'm having the most beautiful dream."

"Reality is better," he whispered into her ear, "Wake up and join me."

"No," she shook her head as she pulled the covers over her head.

Setting the tray of breakfast he held in his hands off to the side, he slid under the covers with her. Molding her body against his, he caressed her back softly.

"You are an evil man," she began humming as he managed to successfully wake her, "I was having the best dream. Couldn't you let me finish it?"

"No dream can top this moment. I brought you breakfast."

"You are most definitely a treat, but I wouldn't call you breakfast," she laughed as she began nipping at his neck.

"I brought you an actual breakfast," he told her.

"It can wait," she told him as she pinned him to the bed as she climbed over him. "There are other urges that need to be satisfied first."

"I wish I had the willpower to resist you because you truly need to eat, but I can't," he groaned, "Why do you have to be so damn irresistible?"

"I'm not going to hand out my secrets," she told him as she began pecking at his chest, "They might lose their effectiveness, and I can't risk that happening."

"I love mornings with you," he laughed darkly, "You're always in the most playful of moods. It makes my constant lust for you easier to quench."

"Blame it on the beautiful dream you interrupted," she purred. She stopped her assault for a few moments to give her next words some thought. "And perhaps the hormones."

They'd spent most of the previous afternoon after her life-changing announcement celebrating the news and then getting their hands on any piece of information regarding pregnancy they could find. Miraculously, Yvechelle pointed them in the direction of the home office that the previous owner had installed. The computer was slightly outdated and loading certain webpages took forever, but they found a way to kill time in between.

Her additional words brought a smile to his face. He'd woken that morning believing that the previous day had been a fantastical dream at first. It had taken him several minutes to convince himself that the news was true. It wasn't until his eyes settled on a stack of papers they had printed out with pregnancy facts to remember that it all began to sink in for a second time. It was a gift that felt even more incredible the second time around.

"That's a mighty gorgeous smile you have there, Handsome," she smiled as she traced his lips with a finger.

"I never expected to be so happy by the prospect of becoming a father," he admitted as he began nuzzling at her neck.

"I'm surprised you aren't swimming to Brazil right now," she admitted. "I never expected the reaction that you gave me yesterday."

"I surprised myself," he nodded, "But I promise that I'm genuinely happy about this, ecstatic even."

"You don't do ecstatic," she glared at him suspiciously.

"I do now," he proclaimed, "And I took the liberty of scheduling you an appointment with the best OB/GYN in Manhattan for the day after tomorrow. The flight crew is preparing for tomorrow's departure, and when we return to the Upper East Side we'll have to starting looking for new living arrangements. No more hotels."

"As for the wedding," she prompted him, "We did agree yesterday that we wanted to be married before this baby is born." Though as of yet, that was all they had agreed upon in regard to the wedding. He had suggested something like going to Vegas or Atlantic City. She held firm that she would rather get married in City Hall than either of his suggestions.

"How about the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park?" he suggested, "Make it a small, private ceremony with our closest friends and family."

Blair's eyes lit up with intrigue. His suggestion was most definitely one to give serious consideration to. "When?"

"End of the month," he told her, "That should give you . . .us a few weeks to plan. We can hire an army of wedding planners. I'm sure your mother would be more than happy to put together a dress at the last minute . . .at least, I hope she would. She liked me, didn't she?"

"Sometimes," Blair giggled, "When you were good to me."

"I have more than enough tuxedos to choose from. I'm sure I can talk Nathaniel into something appropriate. I'm assuming that Serena will be your maid of honor," he stated. She nodded quickly in confirmation. Even with everything still up in the air between them and their best friends, there was no one else they would even consider honoring. "She can pull off a plastic bag with the right accessories, so she's covered. We'll pay triple to have a cake worthy of my beautiful bride. We'll have the chefs at The Palace come up with a splendid menu."

"Decorations?" she prompted him.

"That is what the army of wedding planners would be for," he replied, "My point is that I don't want you stressing yourself out over these details. I will handle everything."

"By still keeping me in the loop, of course," she cautioned him, "A little girl dreams of this day. She wants it to be perfect."

"And it will be," he assured her, "Do these plans suit you?"

"They do," she smiled, "They definitely do, but what if it rains on the actually day?"

"Mother Nature will not be allowed to intrude on our day," he told her.

"But if she does?" she pressed.

"Then we'll have a tent set up somewhere nearby, just in case," he conceded, "Do we have a deal?"

"Should we shake on it?" she chuckled as her head came to rest against his chest.

"I have a much better idea on how we can seal our deal," he looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"A kiss," she offered.

"To start."

* * *

"Chuck, are you going to still love me when I look like this?" Blair inquired as she studied her reflection in the mirror after stuffing a pillow up her nightgown and then turned to study her profile.

"I'll love you even more," he told her as he stepped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I am not looking forward to this part of pregnancy," Blair sighed as he reached under her nightgown and removed the pillow, tossing it back onto the bed so he could caress her true pregnant belly. "When Dorota was pregnant with Anastasia she complained of hemorrhoids, swollen ankles, copious amounts of gas from both ends, and ghastly stretch marks."

"I promise to find all of it adorable," he chuckled.

"I don't want to be adorable," she pouted.

"Then what do you want to be?" he inquired.

"Breathtaking, beautiful, gorgeous, radiant . . . sexy," she bit her lip as she added the last adjective.

"You will always be sexy to me," he assured her, "More so with a pregnant, swollen belly."

"I'll know you're lying," she sighed, "But you get points for trying."

"Did Dorota pack you any evening wear?" he inquired as he kissed her shoulder softly.

"Evening wear or after evening wear?" she inquired.

"Evening wear," he chuckled, "After evening wear is simply going to intrude on our after dinner activities."

"There are a few options," she told him with a slight nod.

"Get dressed," he told her, "Yvechelle is preparing us one final gourmet meal. We'll be dining on the beach this evening, so don't bother with the Jimmy Choos or Louboutins."

She nodded as she savored the moment. Things were going to become chaotic as soon as they returned to New York City. There first was going to be the announcement that she and Chuck intended to marry at the end of the month, and then eventually the second announcement that she was carrying their child. Of course, she was going to have to venture to Monaco and set things right with Louis, probably before the news began to spread that she was carrying Chuck's child.

"You're a million miles away, Blair," Chuck pulled her out of her thoughts.

"I know we need to go back to New York, but . . ." she began.

"You want to take a quick detour to Monaco," he finished her thought for her.

"I want to set things right with Louis before you and I ride off into the sunset. It will simply devastate him to hear second or third hand that you and I are married," she replied.

"If that is what you feel we need to do, then we'll make our flight a connecting one," he told her.

"Thank you," she stated as she spun in his arms.

"As long as you know that I'll be at your side when you explain things to Louis," Chuck replied.

"Chuck, that's a really sweet gesture, but this is between me and Louis," she told him, "You at my side would just be rubbing my decision in his face, and I've hurt him enough."

"You have the most amazing heart," Chuck told her, "But we both owe him apologies and explanations. I told him I was giving the two of you my blessing and then only six weeks later, I'm proposing marriage to his fiancée."

"Let's not talk about this on our last night in paradise. We have the entire flight across the Atlantic to pick every detail of this apart. Let's just focused on making this night as incredible as the rest of this trip together has been."

"Deal," he sighed, "Make yourself more beautiful, if it's possible, and join me on the beach. I have a few arrangements that need to be tended to."

"What kind of arrangements?" she tried to bait him into sharing their plans.

"You'll find out when you get your gorgeous self out to the beach," he told her as he kissed her softly, "But I need at least thirty minutes, so please take your time."

"Okay," she pouted.

* * *

"Dinner on the beach in evening wear. This is definitely a first for me," she chuckled as he led her down the beach towards the table he'd taken great care to set for her. This didn't have the feel of their caretaker; this had his hand written all over it. She was touched by his attention to details. "You're responsible for a lot of my firsts."

He could only chuckled as he held out her chair for her. Once she was settled, he revealed her dinner before setting the silver cloche covering their dishes in the sand a short distance away.

"It smells wonderful," she smiled as he poured her a glass of sparkling cider before he took his seat.

"To the most beautiful woman in all the world," he proposed his toast as he lifted his own glass of bubbly cider, "Certain to be the most beautiful mother a child could ever have."

Blair felt herself blush as she lifted her glass to his before she took a sip.

"You look very dashing yourself this evening," she replied as she reached out to adjust his bowtie. Chuck captured her hand when she pulled it away and gave it a quick kiss before he released it and allowed her to eat. "Even though you essentially kidnapped me to bring me here, coming to this island to give us time alone together was the best idea."

"So I'm a kidnapper now," he chuckled, "Does that mean the Stockholm Syndrome is in effect?"

"I'm not too sure that applies when we had a relationship prior to the act," she replied as she took another bite of her dinner.

"God, you're beautiful," he marveled. He couldn't take a bite of his own meal as he was mesmerized by every fluid movement she made. She was positively glowing. He had been planning to save his gift until after the meal, but he could wait no longer. "I have a present for you, one that I have been saving for the perfect moment. I can think of no moment more perfect than this one."

"Such the poet tonight," she teased as she sat down her fork in eager anticipation. She always loved gifts, especially his. He never spared any expense.

"I know that one of the attractions that you had to Louis was the title and crown that you would be gaining. In choosing me, you gave up any claim to all of that, which is a humbling notion. I don't have the ability to make you a queen of a European country, but I do that the ability to make you queen of this island. As it's queen, you deserve the title and crown that go along with it. From this day forward, you may introduce yourself as 'Her Majesty, Blair, Queen of Evelyn Isle', as long as you are wearing this," he explained as he reached for an elaborately jeweled box that he passed to her.

When Blair lifted the lid, she gasped as the present inside, "Chuck! Is this?"

"It's your crown," he nodded as he carefully lifted the tiara out of the box and held it out for her examination. "I had the jewelers at Harry Winston model it after many of the more exquisite crowns worn by the European royals, but I also wanted it to be uniquely yours."

"This is beautiful," she told him as her fingers traced along the many sparkling gems.

"And fitting of my queen," he replied as he rose up and stepped around behind her, placing the tiara on her head.

Blair tried to discreetly wipe away a tear from her eyes, but she should have known that he'd see it.

"Do you not like it?" he inquired as he erased another of her tears from her cheek.

"I love it…and you," she assured him, "You have given me everything that I could ever want."

"And I intend to give you so much more," he told her as he pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in his embrace.

She clung to him, burrowing further into him, inhaled his scent as deep as she could, making every piece of him a part of her. She never wanted to forget this moment.

"If we have a little girl, we'll see to it that she gets a tiara like her mother's," he replied.

"And if it's a boy, we'll have to make him a little crown," Blair added, "Our little prince should be as accessorized as our little princess."

"Excellent point," he smiled.

"This child is going to be so lucky to have you as their father," she smiled as she tilted her head back so she look into the darkest depths of his eyes, yet there wasn't the darkness that there once had been, "They are going to be given everything that their heart desires, including all of the love in the world."

"One last sunset," Chuck told her as he spun her towards the rapidly descending sun as his arms settled around her waist, his hand rubbing her belly softly.

"Chuck, promise me that we'll come back here often. Promise me that we will share this magic with our family," she requested.

"That is a promise," he nodded as his chin came to rest against her bare shoulder as the sun disappeared.

No matter the obstacles that they faced from here on out, they would always have this magical moment and this magical place to come back to. It made the journey ahead that much easier to bear.

**TBC . . .**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**So to get the foul taste out of everyone's mouth after last night's episode, I decided to work a little harder and post this tonight. I didn't know it was possible to dislike the character of Blair, but somehow the writers managed to accomplish that last night. I have to ask – what is Blair thinking?**

**My beta Lori2279 wants me to remind everyone that **_**fictious**_** writers make lousy lovers. For those of you that watched Sex in the City, you'll understand the reference.**

**Forgive my rant and enjoy.**

"You are not welcome here," Sophie, Louis's mother, snarled upon seeing Blair and Chuck being let into the foyer of the palace, "Certainly not with him, not after you have humiliated not only my son, the future King of Monaco but also the noble people of this country. You are lucky we did not throw you into prison when your jet first landed."

"I'm here to speak with Louis," Blair stated calmly as she linked her fingers with Chuck's, "He knows that I'm coming." She had called ahead. Louis's secretary had agreed, although reluctantly, to schedule a few moments into his day for the three of them to sit down, hopefully as adults, and lay all their cards on the table.

"You are nothing but a piece of common trash. I knew the minute I first laid eyes on you that you would be nothing but trouble for my son, but he wouldn't listen. Now you have reduced him to ruins. He is the laughing stock of the entire world, and it is all your fault, you cheap, common slut," Sophie spoke out bitterly.

Chuck was about to step up and defend his lover, but Louis beat him to it.

"That will be quite enough, Mother," Louis announced his presence, "Blair, Charles, and I have matters to discuss that are no concern of yours."

"Louis, how could you agree to this?" Sophie hissed, "Hasn't she done enough already?"

"That is enough," Louis stared his mother down. She sulked away without another word. When the trio was left alone, Louis's cold eyes softened as he address Blair and Chuck. "I am sorry for my mother's words. She is clearly still upset."

"It is to be expected," Blair nodded as a nervous hitch filtered into her voice. She felt Chuck squeeze her as she took a deep breath to gather her courage.

"Come, I have tea waiting in the garden for the three of us," Louis motioned for them to follow him.

"You didn't have to go to all that trouble," Blair replied as she and Chuck followed along, her hand grasped his a little tighter as her nerves became greater. She wasn't sure if it was her nerves or morning sickness suddenly kicking in, but her stomach felt like it was doing flip flops.

"It was no trouble," he assured her, "I remember how much you loved to sit in these gardens during your last visit. I wanted you to have one last good memory."

"You're being far more civil than I deserve," Blair replied as they approached the table where the elegant tea had been set up. Louis motioned to hold out Blair's chair for her before he had a second thought and decided against it. Instead he took his seat as he watched Chuck hold out her chair before he claimed his own seat. "Louis, I am very sorry for what I did to you, your family and this beautiful country of yours. You deserved far better than I've given you."

"I appreciate the apology, Blair," Louis responded calmly, "But it is unnecessary. You were following your heart. I cannot fault you for that. Chuck can clearly give you something that I never could."

"I did love you, Louis," Blair insisted.

"Just not in the way you love Chuck," Louis concluded, "And since we are handing out apologies, I need to give you one as well, along with an explanation."

"Louis, you have nothing to apologize for," Blair replied, "I am the one at fault. I promised to make a life with you and then only a few weeks later, broke that promise. I swore to you that there was nothing left between me and Chuck, and then the first chance I was given, I went back to him. I hurt you, so deeply, and I am so, so sorry."

"Blair, you did not hurt me as deeply as you may believe," Louis began after a moment of awkward silence.

"I don't understand," Blair frowned.

"When I first came to you in New York, I was intending to sweep you off your feet. You see when we first met in Paris, I was in denial. I was denying who I was. I had not accepted my place within my family, mostly because I didn't know my place. There had always been that doubt as to who was going to be the next heir to the throne. My mother was given the decision. How it ever fell to her, is a mystery, but it was her decision nonetheless. My sister and I were determined to do whatever we could to be named the heir.

"Beatrice had no romantic prospects that I knew of, so no true claim to the throne. I knew that if I could provide my own prospect and show my mother that I was planning for the future of the monarchy and providing the next heir to the throne that she would pick me. I remembered the time that we spent together in Paris. Though you had no royal lineage, you gave off this royal . . . vibration like no one I had ever met before, but there was also a sadness, a piece of you that was missing. I didn't know it at the time because I didn't know about your connection to Charles, but it was him.

"When I came to New York, you and he were not together. Had you been or had there been a sign that there was a reconciliation on the horizon, I would have walked away. The more I got to know you, the more I fell in love with the idea of you, the idea of you being by my side as I ascended to the throne, so I began ignore the warning signs.

"I knew that my mother's threat of removing my claim to the throne was only a threat, so I let her call her bluff. I made you believe that I had the intention of renouncing my title to be with you when I never had the intention of doing so.

"When we became engaged, that very evening my mother told me that since I was taking a wife that I would also be ascending to the throne. Because of you, I was suddenly the next in line."

"So this was all some sort of game," Blair replied, her stomach turning a somersault as she spoke the words, "You used me all so that you could claim some stupid crown. None of it was real."

"It was real, Blair," Louis tried to assure her, "Maybe not at first, but it became real to me."

"When?" Blair demanded, "When did it become real for you, Louis?"

Louis struggled to come up with a response, and his fumble gave Blair license to go on the attack.

"You let Chuck break my heart because you were supposed to be the noble one. He gave you his blessing because he thought that you were the better man, that you could give me the uncomplicated life that he felt I deserved, and entire time you were using me. I would have married you, Louis. Had Chuck not swooped in and rescued me, I would have married you and given you everything.

"What kind of man does something like that? What kind of man uses the lure of a crown and title to seduce a woman into thinking that the look she sees in your eyes is love when all it really ending up being was greed for a title that you so clearly don't deserve. I had convinced myself that the kindness and gentleness that I saw in you was real. I fell in love with that. It was that love that I mistakenly showed to Chuck. It was that love that made him set aside his own desires, his own happiness, to give me to you. None of it was real. Nothing between you and I was real.

"You are the most horrible man that I have ever met. I cannot believe that I for one minute felt sorry for you. I cannot believe that I came here to apologize. I was almost on my hands and knees begging for you not to hate me. Now I wish I had never come here. I wish that I had never met you."

"Blair, I am sor . . ."

"Don't you dare," Blair growled, "I don't want another thing from you, certainly not an apology that has no merit."

"Blair, calm down," Chuck spoke up as he took her hand into his and forced her to look into his eyes.

"Chuck and I are getting married at the end of the month," Blair announced suddenly, not breaking her eye contact with her one true love, "And I'm pregnant with his child because even after I agreed to become your fiancée I could not ignore the pull that I have towards Chuck. I was held hostage by a deranged psycho. It was Chuck that found me. It was Chuck that rescued me. It was Chuck that comforted me. It was Chuck that loved me and made love to me and gave me the greatest pleasure I have ever known."

"Blair," Chuck spoke softly as he could see her working herself into blowing up in anger once more.

"Let's go home, Chuck," Blair smiled as she caressed his cheek softly. He nodded as he kissed her hand softly and guided her out of the garden.

"I'll meet you in the foyer," he suggested as he stopped at the doors separating the gardens from the palace. "There is just one thing that I need to do."

"Okay," she smiled a little brighter as she leaned into his lips for a sweet kiss, "Don't be too long. You and I have a plane to catch."

"I'll be right there," he vowed as he kissed her hand and motioned her into the direction of the foyer.

"Charles, did you forget something?" Louis inquired as Chuck made his way back to the table where Louis was sipping his tea as if nothing had even happened, as if he didn't have a care in the world. The carefree attitude upset Chuck more than his confession to Blair. He'd been forced on a downward spiral because he felt he could never measure up to the man before him. It had all been a lie.

"I forgot this," Chuck growled as his fist connected with Louis's jaw. Louis was sent sprawling to the earth as the teacup tumbled out of his hand and shattered a few steps away. Chuck shook out his hand as the pain began to course through his fingers. "If you ever try to make contact with Blair, myself, or our family ever again, I will scour every corner of this earth, turn over every rock, dig up every skeleton in your closet and broadcast it on every television, in every newspaper, on every webpage. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Louis growled as he clutched at his jaw as he rose to his feet, stumbling as he attempted to regain his balance.

Chuck turned away before the urge to knock Louis down once more overtook. He was pretty sure that the first punch was free, the second would create an international incident.

"Let's go," Chuck smiled as he found Blair waiting patiently in the foyer.

"Everything okay?" she inquired as he captured her lips with his in a searing kiss.

"Everything is more than alright," he assured her as his hand caressed her belly affectionate as he led her to the awaiting limo.

She had the urge to make love to him in the back of Louis's limo, to defile it in the most sadistic of ways, and it had been nearly impossible for him to resist her, but ultimately he wanted to rise above it all. He was going to be the better man, the one that truly did deserve her.

* * *

"What happened to your hand?" Blair inquired as she awoke from her nap on the plane to find his hand wrapped in a napkin full of ice.

"Turbulence as I was walking towards the bathroom," he explained as he tossed the napkin aside so he could touch her cheek.

"It looks more like a bruise you would get after connecting with Louis's face," she replied as she examined his hand more closely.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "I couldn't help myself."

"No apology needed," she assured his as she lifted his injured hand to her lips and kissed it softly, "It certainly isn't anything he doesn't deserve."

"I'm sorry I pushed you towards him," Chuck apologized.

"I'm sorry that I put the idea in your head," she replied, "I never should have allowed myself to become involved with him. He obviously wasn't who I thought he was."

"Don't beat yourself up," Chuck replied, "He pulled the wool over your eyes. If I hadn't behaved so badly before he arrived, you never would have gotten involved with him. We would have ridden off into the sunset much sooner than we did."

"Thank you for defending my honor," she smiled as she kissed his hand again, "And for calming me down."

"I just didn't want you getting your blood pressure up," he told her as she settled against him, pulling his arms around her waist as she pressed her back into his chest, "That's not good for you or our baby."

"You are absolutely right," she smiled as their adjoined hands settled on her stomach.

"Are you two feeling alright?" he inquired as he rubbed her stomach softly with his thumb.

"Never been better," she assured him, "You and I need to come to some sort of agreement on sleeping arrangements this evening. I think you'll understand that I don't want to spend the night at The Empire, and I'll understand that you don't want to sleep at my mother's penthouse. That leaves us out of options."

"Are you offering up any ideas?" he inquired.

"I have one, but I'm not exactly sure it's an options," she replied as she twisted to look him in the eyes.

Chuck was able to read her thoughts as he pulled out his phone and dialed up The Palace and quickly reserved 1812 into the foreseeable future. She danced in her seat for a few moments as he made the arrangements.

"Was that the option you were inquiring about?" he teased as she relaxed into his chest as he tossed his phone aside.

"Yes," she let out a giddy giggle. "And I love that you are still able to read my mind."

"Get some sleep," Chuck inquired her, "This evening promises to be a busy one. Lily has sent me a message that we are expected to be at her penthouse this evening for dinner."

"How does she even know we're on our way home?" Blair inquired.

"Bass jet, member of the board, connect the dots, Beautiful," he told her as his lips ghosted against her temple.

"I was hoping we'd have an evening to settle in before we had to face everyone," she sighed.

"You know how this works," Chuck replied as he coaxed her head back against his chest, "I promise to have you home at a reasonable hour tonight."

"Are we going to tell everyone about the baby?" she inquired.

"Only if you're wanting to," he told her, "It is completely your decision."

"Why is it my decision?" she snapped her head around quickly.

"It's your body," he told her, "Therefore it is your decision as to when you want to draw attention to it. I know you still struggle with body image issues. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with our wedding at the end of the month."

"Perhaps we just tell Serena and my mother," Blair offered, "And if you must, Nate."

"Your mother," Chuck prompted her to explain. Telling Nate made more sense than telling her mother.

"If she's going to design my wedding gown, she's going do need to know so that she can accommodate my potentially growing belly," she replied.

"Fair enough," he accepted her answer quickly, "And don't forget about your beloved Dorota because we both know it will be the first thing she'll ask. She was the one to send you the test in the first place."

"And Dorota," she agreed, "Maybe we wait to tell Serena and Nate until after the wedding. Neither are particularly skilled at keeping secrets, and I don't want our nuptials to be overshadowed by our child. I don't want the world thinking that we're getting married solely because I'm pregnant."

"It is the catalyst to us getting married at the end of the month," he told her, "We'd probably be waiting a bit longer if you weren't."

"Perhaps," she replied, "But I don't know if we would have waited much longer. I thought I'd want to wait awhile to be married, but now that we are getting married, I'm wondering why we should be waiting, even if I wasn't pregnant. This feels right."

"Agreed, and as I said, it's your choice who and when we tell," he replied as he once again coaxed her head against his chest, "Now sleep."

**TBC. . .**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Thank you everyone for the reviews. As promised, it's time for our favorite pair to return to the real world. Enjoy.**

"B, I'm so happy for you!" Serena squealed as she ran to the elevator as soon as Chuck and Blair arrived at Lily's penthouse apartment and engulfed her best friend in the most gigantic of hugs. "Are you happy? You look happy . . . and tan. Where have you two been?"

"Calm down, S," Blair laughed at her best friend's eagerness.

"Let me see the ring," Serena demanded as she snatched her best friend's hand and began examining every detail of the precious stone that sat on Blair's finger. "It's gorgeous. Good job, Chuck."

"Next thing you know she's going to start humping your leg," Chuck whispered into Blair's ear causing her to burst out laughing.

"Not appreciated, Bass," Serena scowled at her stepbrother.

"You don't even know what I said," he defended himself.

"I'm sure it wasn't anything flattering," she continued to scowl.

"Be nice to me, S," Chuck requested, "I'm the one that is finally going to make the two of you sisters."

"I never thought of that," Serena replied as she suddenly pulled him into an awkward hug, "Aww, this is the best present you could have given me."

"I assure you my motives are purely selfish," Chuck replied as he wrapped his arms around Blair's waist, hugging her close.

"So when is the wedding?" Serena asked as she linked arms with Blair and pulled her into the penthouse living room and out of Chuck's embrace. "Or haven't you even talked about it?"

The conversation was interrupted as Lily greeted her adopted son and soon to be daughter-in-law warmly. "Blair, Chuck, I'm so happy that you're both home. Eleanor and I were beginning to wonder if we'd ever see either of you again. You left us all speechless at your engagement party and then just up and disappeared. Had the Bass jet not been commandeered, we wouldn't have had a clue where you had gone. As it is, all that we know is that you settled somewhere in the Caribbean."

"A private island in the Caribbean," Blair explained, "Chuck's private island."

"Our private island," he corrected her as Lily went to embrace him.

"I know how much you hate my displays of affection, but I'm so happy that you're home. I've been so worried," she replied as she hugged her son, "I hope neither of you mind, but I invited Eleanor, Cyrus, Harold, and Roman to join us for dinner."

"Daddy is in New York," Blair spoke out in her surprise.

"He never left after your engagement party, and he promised he wasn't going to leave until he knew you made it home safe and sound."

"You all make it sound as though we just up and ran off," Blair replied.

"And with no explanations or phone calls to the contrary, that is what we all assumed that you did," Lily stated.

"I'm sorry that we worried you, Lily," Chuck replied, "That was never my, our intention. I just wanted to get Blair alone for an extended vacation so that we could reconnect after such a turbulent few months . . . …years actually."

"And I understood that, which is why I didn't have one of the Bass private investigators out looking for you yet," Lily assured him, "I hope you know how happy I am for both of you. This is long overdue."

"I agree," Chuck nodded as he pulled Blair away from Serena and back into his arms.

"How about a little champagne to celebrate your engagement?" Lily suggested.

"No," both Blair and Chuck spoke quickly.

"No champagne," Serena gasped in surprise. "Since when have the two of you turned down a chance to down some bubbly?"

"It's complicated," Blair replied, "But if you have any sparkling cider, we'll both partake in some of that."

"Certainly," Lily nodded as she made the request of her maid to break out some of the best cider that was available.

"Nate, Dan and Eric should all be here soon," Serena informed them, "And Chuck, I'd appreciate it if you spoke to that best friend of yours. He's been canoodling with an older woman once again. You and I both know that isn't such a good idea for him. He gets in way over his head."

"I'll speak to him," Chuck assured her, "But I'm not entirely sure he'll accept my advice."

"He's over what happened between the two of you," Serena assured him, "I hope you know that. He told me so himself."

"We'll see," Chuck shrugged.

The elevator chimed the arrival of Eleanor, Cyrus, Harold, Roman and Dorota. Blair flew towards them and was engulfed in the biggest family hug she'd ever been a part of.

"We're so happy you're home, Sweetheart," Eleanor stated once everyone began pulling away as she placed her hands against her daughter's shoulders, "We have been so eager to congratulate the two of you on your engagement. I know we all said that we were happy for you and Louis, but this union makes much more sense. I know you'll be so much happier."

"I agree," Blair smiled as she felt the tears welling in her eyes. It meant more than she realized having Eleanor's blessing.

"Blair, you are positively glowing," Eleanor observed as she spun a lock of Blair's hair around her finger.

"I'm happy," Blair explained, "Happier than I ever thought I could be."

Eleanor engulfed her in another hug that reduced Blair to tears. When she pulled away she quickly excused herself so she could splash some cold water on her face. Dorota dutifully followed, as she always did, with Chuck not far behind.

"Ms. Blair, did you take test?" Dorota asked softly as Blair emerged from the bathroom after fixing her makeup.

"Yes, Dorota, I did," Blair smiled.

"You smile, Ms. Blair, does that mean you have bun in oven?" Dorota inquired.

"Yes, Dorota," Chuck chimed in, "Blair and I are expecting our first child."

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Dorota whispered exuberantly as she threw her arms around both Blair and Chuck. "Ms. Blair, you and I be pregnant together."

"You're pregnant, Dorota!" Blair exclaimed, "That is so wonderful. You, Anastasia, and Vanya must be so excited."

"Yes, Ms. Blair, we are, but I think I more excited for you and Mister Chuck," Dorota said as she released the young couple.

"Don't be silly," Blair laughed.

"You going to be good mother," Dorota stated as she hugged Blair again before she hugged Chuck. "And Mister Chuck, you be good father."

"I hope so," Chuck replied as he took a shaky breath.

"Be good to Ms. Blair," Dorota demanded.

"That is a promise," Chuck nodded.

* * *

"You never answered my question about when the wedding was going to be," Serena pointed out as Lily's housekeeper passed out sparkling cider to all of the guests. "Have you talked about it?"

"We have, actually," Blair nodded as she reached out for Chuck's hand to gather her courage to make the announcement and face the dozens of questions that were sure to follow, "We were thinking the end of the month."

"End of what month?" Eleanor asked, "This month?"

"This month," Blair nodded.

"That gives us less than three weeks to plan!" Serena gasped, "What is the urgency?"

"Chuck and I have just decided that we've wasted enough time," she explained.

"Can't you push it back another couple of months?" Serena whined, "That gives us almost zero time to plan."

"Chuck and I have already planned quite a bit," Blair responded calmly, "We know the when and the where. He's going to have The Palace chefs take care of the catering. Mom, we're hoping that you could design my dress. Serena, as my maid of honor, you and I will have to go shopping for your dress. Surely there is something off the rack that we can find suitable enough."

"Off the rack!" Eleanor exclaimed, "I'll have none of that. I'll make designing the wedding and suitable maid of honor gowns my top priority. I had drawings already done that I set aside when you told me that you were required to wear the Grimaldi gown. I'll happily pull them back out and happily put a few twists on it to be suitable for a Bass bride."

"Thank you," Blair smiled.

"Hear that, Beautiful, you're going to be getting married in tacky lingerie," Chuck teased.

Blair scoffed as she slapped his shoulder with a look that told him to behave.

"Married in tacky lingerie, sign me up," Nate chimed in as he, Dan and Eric all arrived at the same time.

"Nathaniel, perfect timing, yet inappropriate as always," Chuck shook his head as he extended his hand to his best friend.

"Bass," Dan nodded his head politely.

"Humphrey," Chuck returned the nod before shaking his brother's hand, "How's Sarah Lawrence treating you?"

"I've only been to a few weeks of classes," Eric reminded him.

"Meet any good looking frat guys?" Chuck lifted a curious eyebrow.

"A couple," Eric blushed.

"Putting that van der Woodsen charm to good use," Chuck laughed.

"What's all this talk about a wedding?" Nate inquired.

"Blair and I are getting married at the end of the month," Chuck explained.

"Which month, this month?" Nate exclaimed.

"You're a little late, Nate," Serena chimed in. "We've had that part of the conversation. We've moved on to the plans that they have apparently already made."

"Nathaniel, you'll be my best man," Chuck replied, "So you'll be needing a new tux to match whichever one Blair sees me marrying her in."

"Valentino, Armani, take your pick, Bass," Blair shrugged, "You look handsome in anything."

"Blair, could I speak with you privately, for a moment?" Dan requested.

"Sure," Blair nodded as she gave Chuck a reassuring smile before she followed Dan onto the balcony.

"Blair, are you sure about this?" Dan inquired as they stepped out into the warm autumn evening as Dan closed the door behind them so their voices wouldn't filter in, "It was only a few weeks ago that you were promising Louis that you'd marry him."

"This is completely different," Blair insisted, "I never would have agreed to marry Louis had I thought I had any chance of reconciling with Chuck."

"But what is the urgency?" Dan pressed, "Shouldn't you and Chuck take some time to get reacquainted with each other."

"That is what we did with our time away," Blair stated.

"Blair, less than a month ago, you were planning on marrying another man. Now you're marrying Chuck. I think you need to slow down and decide what it is you really want," Dan insisted.

"And what exactly do you think it is that I want?" Blair snapped, "You? Get it through your head, Humphrey. We are friends, nothing more."

"You can't just sweep what we had under the rug," Dan stated, "We grew close this winter, and you can't just erase the kisses that we shared."

"Look, I'm sorry if those kisses confused you and if I led you on, but you are not the man that I want to spend the rest of my life with. Chuck is; he has been for a long time. Whether you like it or not, I'm marrying Chuck at the end of this month. The only thing this conversation is going to change is whether or not I'm inviting you."

"Blair," Dan exclaimed as he lunged for her hand as she turned to leave, "Don't ignore what you're feeling."

"Don't tempt me," she scowled at him as she yanked her arm free, "My feelings right now are to shove you off this balcony. For the last time, Humphrey, you and I are friends. There is nothing more to our relationship than that. I'm sorry if there is for you, but there isn't for me. If you cannot accept that then you need to stay away from me."

"Blair," Dan replied as he dove for her hand again, yanking on her hand to force her towards him.

"Is everything alright out here?" Serena inquired as she and Chuck appeared in the doorway. Chuck had a deathly scowl on his face directed towards Dan. Blair quickly freed herself and walked with determination towards Chuck, caressing his face gently to get him to focus on her.

"Everything is fine," she assured him as he captured her hand and brought it to his lips. "Let's go back to the party. I'm in a celebratory mood."

Chuck sent one more scowl in Dan's direction before he refocused his attention on his fiancée as he guided her back inside. Dan was about to follow, but Serena held him back.

"Don't ruin this for her, Dan," Serena warned him, "Everyone knows that they are soul mates. If you want to be a good friend, be happy for her. This is what she wants."

"And a few weeks before she wanted to marry Louis," Dan reminded her, "She doesn't know what she wants. She just doesn't want to be alone."

"She agreed to marry Louis because she thought things were over for good with her and Chuck," Serena replied, "And that broke her heart and made her vulnerable to Louis's charms. That's over now. She's marrying Chuck. There isn't anything that you can say that will convince her that she shouldn't."

"But . . ." Dan wanted to protest.

"There isn't anything that you can say to me either that will convince me that she shouldn't marry Chuck," Serena cut him off. "Walk away, Dan."

* * *

"Welcome home, soon to be Mrs. Bass," Chuck announced as he carried Blair across the threshold to what would be there temporary home.

"Chuck, put me down," she squealed as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

"Keep squirming and I'm going to drop you," he warned her.

"Then put me down," she laughed, "We're not married yet."

"Soon enough," he chuckled as he returned her to her feet.

"Not soon enough," she shook her head as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Let's go to Atlantic City tonight."

"You were the one that scoffed at my suggestion earlier," he reminded her as he pecked lightly at her neck.

"The end of the month feels too far away at the moment," she pouted.

"I can have the chopper fueled and ready in thirty minutes," he told her.

"I know," she nodded, "And I love that about you."

"But," he prompted her as he could hear that her thought wasn't finished.

"But as much as I want to be married to you at this very moment, I also want to do it right," she sighed, "We are only going to get one chance to make this the wedding of our dreams."

"I'll marry you as many times as you want to marry me," he chuckled.

"I'm being serious," she scolded him, "This is it for both of us. So that means this wedding has to be perfect."

"We'll get this right," he assured her, "At the end of the day, the most important thing we get out of this is the family that we are creating together, you, me, and this child." His hand caressed her stomach gently.

"Will you keep reminding me of that as we get closer to the date of our wedding?" she requested, "Because I see myself becoming the most horrendous bridezilla you have ever seen."

"That is why I am planning on hiring an army of wedding planners to do all the worrying for you," he told her, "I will not allow you to stress yourself out over this. All I want you to worry about is how you're going to fend off any and all other members of the male species with how beautiful you'll be looking on that day."

"You are entirely too smooth for your own good," she shook her head. He began to respond, but she silenced him quickly. "If you tell me it is from years of experience, I'm going to pummel you."

"I would never make reference to my wild, drunken debauchery days without you. I know better than that," he assured her.

"Speaking of wild, drunken debauchery days," she sighed as she looked around the familiar suite, "This place hasn't changed one bit."

"Did you really expect it to?" he inquired as he looked around himself. Their idea of returning to this place had been a thrilling prospect at first, but now that they were here, it felt wrong. Everything about this place reminded them of the times in their lives that were not worth remembering.

"They could have at least changed the drapes or something," she replied, "And hopefully the mattress."

"You don't want to stay here either, do you," he concluded.

"It seemed like a good idea at first, but now it just feels wrong," she nodded.

"I feel the same way."

"Let's go find a place with a few less memories," she replied as she reached for his hand and led him out of the hotel suite. It suddenly felt as if they were closing the door on that chapter of his life.

"Where to?" Blair inquired as they strolled towards the elevator.

"I haven't a clue," he admitted, "Any ideas?"

"No," she admitted as she watched him send off a quick text to his driver to have the limo brought around. "There has to be someplace in Manhattan that is suitable enough for us to stay in until we find a more permanent residence."

Riding down in the elevator and returning to the limo they had thrown out and rejected each of other's ideas.

"Arthur, you know your way around Manhattan. Where would you suggest we stay?" Blair inquired as he held the limo door open for her.

"Miss Waldorf?" Arthur gave her a curious look as he wasn't able to understand her question.

"The Empire, The Palace and The Waldorf-Astoria have already been thrown out as ideas and soundly rejected," she informed him. "We're open for input."

"The Plaza, Miss Waldorf," Arthur stammered out having not been accustomed to having any input in his boss's destinations before.

"How could we have forgotten something so obvious?" Blair exclaimed as Chuck quickly scrolled his contact list to find the hotel's manager and demanded the best room the hotel had to offer.

"Thank you, Arthur," Chuck told his driver as Blair waited patiently inside the car. "That was a splendid idea."

"You are welcome, Mister Bass," Arthur nodded as Chuck slid gracefully inside the vehicle and took Blair's hand.

Blair's head came to rest again Chuck's shoulder as her eyes fluttered closed. It had been a long and emotional day. Her exhaustion had clearly caught up with her.

**TBC. . .**

**This will have to hold you all for about a week. Work is sending me out of town, but I will post as soon as I can.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**I want to start out by giving a great big thank you to all of you who reviewed and to Lori2279 for being my beta.**

**Enjoy.**

"Where are we?" Blair inquired the next morning as she felt Chuck's familiar warmth wrapped around her in the most unfamiliar surroundings she had ever seen.

"The Plaza," he told her as he kissed her shoulder softly.

"I don't even remember entering the hotel," she admitted as she snuggled back against him while pulling his arms tighter around her body.

"That is because you fell asleep in the limo on the way here, and I carried you up here," he told her as he watched her look around the room with curiosity. He wondered how long it would take for her to ask for more details as to where they were, as they were not in one of the standard Plaza suites. He was pretty confident that she would put that together.

"So chivalrous of you," she laughed lightly

"It is in my nature when I need it to be," he smiled as he brushed the hair away from her neck and began nibbling lightly.

"What time is it?" she inquired as her eyes drifted closed again.

"Early," he replied, "You have time for more sleep if you need it."

"I don't need it," she purred softly, "I desire it, as I also desire you."

"You'll have to choose one or the other," he chuckled, "Because those desires are polar opposites."

"It's a difficult choice," she moaned as she began to stretch her tired muscles, "Choose for me."

"I think you should choose," he continued to laugh, "Only you can know what your body needs most right now."

"You," she made her decision quickly as she turned in his arms, "I need you."

"That's the decision I was hoping for," he smiled.

"For the record, that is always going to be my answer," she told him.

"For some reason I don't believe you," he chuckled, "I see a few months down the road in which you will be a few more months pregnant and most likely cursing the very ground that I walk on."

"But I promise to not mean it," she laughed along with him, "But right now I assure you I mean what I say. I need you."

After her needs were fully satisfied, she made her way into the bathroom to begin preparing for the day. She gasped at the luxuriousness of her surroundings. She called out to Chuck immediately.

"What is it?" Chuck inquired as he rushed in, thinking she'd seen a rodent or bug as her shrieks echoed through the suite.

"Chuck, that tub has gold plated faucets," Blair replied as she motioned towards the lavish fixture, "No Plaza suite has gold plated faucets except . . ."

"The Royal Suite," Chuck offered.

"How did you manage this?" Blair inquired as her eyes went wide in surprise, "This suite is reserved for visiting royalty."

"How quickly you have forgotten," he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "You are visiting royalty."

"Are you telling me that you actually managed to convince the hotel manager that such an island exists and I am it's queen," Blair rolled her eyes.

"Such an island does exist," he told her, "And you are its queen. As such, you deserve the most luxurious accommodations available. As it so happened, the Royal Suite was available for at least the next month."

"So here we are," Blair replied with a hint of skepticism in her voice.

"Here we are," he agreed, "Enjoy it while you can."

"Why does it turn into a pumpkin at midnight?" she inquired.

"What I mean to say is that while this indulgence is nice, it will not be permanent as I intend for us to go house hunting something in the near future," he explained.

"How about today?" Blair suggested with an eager grin.

"How about tomorrow," he countered, "We have appointments today that need to be kept, namely your doctor's appointment and then you're meeting with your mother to choose a design for your wedding dress."

"Tomorrow then," she agreed.

"Your doctor's appointment is in two hours," he reminded her, "You'd better start getting ready, or we'll be late."

Blair nodded as she ushered him out of the bathroom. Her hand fell to her stomach as the butterflies crept in. She hoped that everything went well today.

* * *

"I'm nervous," Blair told Chuck as they waited for the doctor to walk into the exam room. She'd changed into a hospital gown and was sitting on the examination table with her legs swinging back and forth in an effort to calm her nervous energy.

"There is nothing to be nervous about," he told her as he kissed her hand softly.

"What if the test was wrong?" she frowned, "What if I did it wrong? What if I'm not pregnant? I mean I haven't even had any morning sickness. When Dorota was pregnant she threw up all day every day.""

"We can still have the wedding that we are planning," he told her, "And if it's in your head that you want a child right this minute, we'll work on a new addition as soon as we say I do."

"Do you mean that?" she asked as she looked to him with hopeful eyes.

"Yes," he nodded, "I can't say that I was ready for this, but now that it's a real possibility I am. Let's first let the doctor make her determination. Then we'll cross that bridge if we need to. For now let's focus on the most probable outcome that you are pregnant."

"Most probable?" she lifted a curious eyebrow.

"The odds of the test being a false positive are pretty slim, aren't they?" he inquired.

"I suppose," she nodded.

"Whatever the outcome, I will be right by your side," he assured her as he kissed her temple as the door to the exam room opened and in stepped the OB/GYN.

"Good morning, Mister Bass, Ms. Waldorf," the doctor greeted them with a warm smile, "I'm Doctor Cooper. I hear you believe you have a baby on the way."

"I took a pregnancy test about a week ago. It was positive," Blair replied.

"When was your last menstrual cycle?" Doctor Cooper inquired as she began jotting down notes on Blair's chart.

"At least six weeks," Blair replied, "I've never been the most regular, but I've never been this late before."

"And have you had unprotected intercourse in that time?" the doctor inquired.

"Yes," Blair nodded as she looked at Chuck. He had a guilt written across his face. He hadn't given protection any thought the night he'd rescued Blair from Russell Thorpe.

"We'll run a quick blood test to confirm the results," the doctor replied, "Once we have the results, we'll go from there. I'll send my nurse in to draw a little blood. Then you two just sit tight. We should have the results in just a few minutes. Apparently someone in this room is quite the influence in this hospital. Everyone is jumping through hoops."

Chuck's lips curled into an amused smile. "Waldorf, what have you done?" he laughed.

Blair rolled her eyes.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Doctor Cooper replied as she left the room.

After the nurse drew some blood, the pair waited patiently for the results.

"I'm sorry," Chuck stated out of the blue.

"For what?" she asked as she ran her fingers along his jaw as it tensed.

"I wasn't even thinking about protection that night Thorpe took you captive," he replied, "I was just so focused on finding you and keeping you safe. When it was all over, and we were in that room together, I got carried away."

"We both got carried away," she assured him, "I'm never going to regret that night, especially if I am pregnant. It's part of who we are, and as carried away as you got, so did I."

"You're too easy on me," he frowned.

"You're too hard on yourself," was her quick retort. "I don't blame you for this."

"But . . ." he began.

"No buts," she told him as she pressed her fingers to his lips. "We created this life together. I'm never going to regret that or the choice I made to be with you."

He captured her hand and brought it to his lips as he gave her a slight nod.

"I love you, Bass," she added.

"I love you, Waldorf – soon to be Bass," he replied.

"You think I'm taking your name, do you?" she teased him.

"Aren't you?" he frowned.

"Maybe," she shrugged in a noncommittal way.

"This baby will have my name, won't it?"

"He or she might," she continued to shrug.

"Why are we even discussing this?" he growled, "This is my child. It will carry the Bass name."

"This is our child," she corrected him calmly.

"Do I get no say in this?" he continued to grumble, "Am I just a sperm donor to you?"

"You know you're more than that," she scolded him.

"Is my name not good enough for our child?" he pressed.

"Stop being ridiculous," she continued to scold him.

"Then why is there even a debate here?" he narrowed his eyes as he looked at her, "Is it okay that I'm giving you all my money, but not enough for you to take my name and give our child my name?"

"I'm not marrying you because of your money or your name," she snapped at him, "I love you, you idiot. If you'd take your foot out of your ass, you'd realize that I merely intended to tease you. Of course our child will have your last name, and yes, I'm taking your last name, though I will be hyphenating it with my own. Quit assuming the worst in people, especially me."

Chuck closed his eyes as her words sunk in. He was truly being an idiot. Had there been a dunce hat in the corner, he would have put it on and stared at the wall for possibly the rest of his life. "I'm sorry," he spoke out finally, "Honestly, right now I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to give our child my name at all. Who would want an idiot's last name?"

"You are impossible," she sighed.

"I'm sorry," he apologized again.

Blair began to laugh at the pathetic pout on his face. God she loved this man.

"The original results have been confirmed," Doctor Cooper announced as she returned to the examination room, "Are congratulations in order?"

"Yes," Blair replied as Chuck's pout was quickly erased by a happy grin. "It was unexpected, but a blessing nonetheless."

"Then congratulations," Doctor Cooper smiled, "We'll do a quick exam to make sure everything is developing as normal, and then I'll be giving you some literature to read as well as a prescription for prenatal vitamins."

"Chuck and I have been doing a little research of our own," Blair replied, "And my housekeeper recently had a child. I'm a little curious about something. Dorota, my housekeeper, had severe nausea with her pregnancy. I haven't experienced any of that."

"Morning sickness usually starts around week six of a pregnancy. Usually after about the twelfth week it will subside, but there are instances of a woman experiencing morning sickness all the way through the pregnancy," the doctor explained.

"So I still have morning sickness in my future," Blair frowned.

"It's a possibility," Doctor Cooper nodded, "But not every woman does, and even those that do, there are varying degrees of morning sickness."

"I'm also bulimic," Blair admitted.

"Currently?" Doctor Cooper asked as she looked at the pair with great concerned.

"No," Blair shook her head quickly, "Not recently, awhile back. I've just read that could be a complication."

"I'm glad you told me," Doctor Cooper stated as she made a note in Blair's chart. "Did you seek treatment for your illness?"

"Yes," Blair nodded, "I saw a therapist for awhile. She had me journal everything."

"I'd like you to keep a journal as well during this pregnancy. Write down what you eat, how you're feeling, if you do start to experience morning sickness, I'd like to you write down what you are feeling before and after a bout of sickness," Doctor Cooper stated.

"Is this going to be a problem?" Chuck inquired as she continued on with her scribbling in Blair's chart, making him nervous.

"No," Doctor Cooper looked up from Blair's chart quickly to give them both a reassuring smile, "This is just something that we'll have to keep a close eye on as the pregnancy progresses. There isn't any reason to believe that your history with bulimia will prevent you from having a healthy child, but it is also something that will need monitoring."

"Okay," Blair nodded as Doctor Cooper guided her to lie back so she could begin the exam. Blair held Chuck's hand tight, their eyes remained locked together. A single tear slid down Blair's cheek, which Chuck was quick to capture as he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Everything is going to be alright," he whispered in her ear.

After several, painfully quiet minutes through her examination, the doctor announced that she and the baby appeared to be in good health and everything was progressing normally. She told Blair to change out of the hospital gown and that she would have the literature and prescription waiting at the nurse's desk. She also requested that Blair make a weekly appointment with her, so that she could closely monitor her, merely as a precaution.

* * *

"I'm more nervous now than I was before we went to see this doctor," Blair confessed as her head came to rest against his shoulder as they sat in the back of his limo on their way back towards their next destination, "I remember talking to my therapist about how my illness could affect me in later years, but the reminder today was like a slap in the face."

"It's just something we have to be aware of," Chuck reassured her as his hand caressed her stocking covered thigh gently as they road to Eleanor's loft where Blair was to have her measurements taken, "Doctor Cooper didn't give us any reason to panic."

"I know, you're right," she sighed.

"Are you still wanting to tell your mother about the baby?" Chuck inquired.

"Now that we know for sure, yes," Blair nodded, "It's going to become obvious to her soon enough, especially when she takes my measurements today and then three weeks from now they are completely different."

"It can wait a week or so," he assured her, "If you're not ready."

"I need to tell her," Blair replied, "I need to tell someone. I agree that we should wait to tell everyone else until after the wedding, but I trust Dorota and my mother to keep this under wraps."

"So no telling Serena or Nathaniel," Chuck surmised.

"I'm sorry," she replied, "I know it's a hard thing to ask you to do, keep this a secret, but as I said yesterday, neither Serena nor Nate are particularly skilled with keeping secrets. I want to be the one to spread the news, when we're ready."

"As I said before, it's your decision on who we tell and when we tell them," he gave her a reassuring smile, "If you want to wait until this child is in preschool, we will."

"Don't be absurd," she rolled her eyes as she tapped his shoulder lightly, "Will you go with me to the loft? Will you hold my hand as I tell her the news?"

"Yes," he nodded as he caught the hopefulness in her eyes. "Of course, I will."

She smiled softly as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Her eyes were about to drift closed in slumber when the limo stopped outside the building where Eleanor's loft was. She took a deep breath as Arthur held the door open for them.

"Blair, Charles, I'm so happy you're here," Eleanor greeted them as they stepped off the elevator. Both Blair and Chuck were taken aback at her prompt appearance. Blair was used to being waved into Eleanor's office by her assistant, but it appeared that her mother had been pacing in circles for several minutes as she waited for them to arrive.

"Is everything okay?" Blair asked curiously as she lifted her eyebrow towards her mother.

"Yes, of course," Eleanor assured her, "I'm just a little eager to begin. After all, how many times does a mother get to design her only daughter's wedding gown?"

"Hopefully only once," Chuck added a brief bit of humor to the conversation.

Eleanor's laughter filled the room, catching Chuck off guard. Laughter was not a sound he had experienced often from his fiancée's mother.

"Come, I have many designs to show you," Eleanor quickly motioned Blair and Chuck towards her office. As she passed her assistant, she requested a bottle of champagne.

"No," Blair spoke quickly to halt the assistant, "No champagne, I think it's best to keep sober as we plan the wedding of my dreams."

"Good point," Eleanor nodded, "Cancel the champagne."

After escorting Blair and Chuck into her office, she pulled out several drawings that she was eager to show her daughter. It suddenly occurred to her that Chuck probably shouldn't be there for this. "Charles, it's not that I'm not happy to see you here today, but don't you think it's a little silly to be sitting here as we pick out Blair's wedding dress. Aren't you supposed to be surprised?"

"Chuck and I have something to discuss with you first," Blair began.

"You don't want me to design your wedding dress, after all," Eleanor's face fell in disappointment.

"No," Blair corrected her, "I'd be more than honored to wear one of your gowns."

"Then what is it?" Eleanor inquired, "Does Serena not want to . . ."

"I'm not giving Serena any say," Blair cut her mother off, "It's just that . . . it's kind of like . . . I don't even know where to begin." Blair looked to Chuck, hoping that he'd have the words that she was suddenly faltering to find.

"Blair's concerned about how the dress you'll be designing for her will fit in three weeks," Chuck began.

It suddenly dawned on Eleanor's face as to what he could possibly mean. "Blair, are you . . ."

"Pregnant," Blair finished her mother's sentence as she bit her lip nervously, "Yes."

"Oh my goodness," Eleanor's eyes went wide in surprise. "Is it . . . could it possibly be . . ."

"Chuck's the father," Blair closed down Eleanor's line of questioning, "He's the only one that I've been intimate with since we conceived this child approximately six weeks ago."

"Six and a half," Chuck corrected her.

"You and Louis never . . ." Eleanor continued to fumble for complete sentences as her surprise was getting the better of her.

"Had sex, no," Blair replied, "Apparently I was more of a convenience, a way to get his stupid crown."

"I don't understand," Eleanor replied.

"It's not really important at the moment," Blair waved off any further explanation that her mother wanted, "The point is that I'm pregnant, but I don't particularly want to look pregnant as Chuck and I say our vows. I'm hoping that you can work your particular brand of magic to hide any baby bumps I might be sporting in a few week's time."

Eleanor began to rifle through the many designs she'd drawn many weeks earlier. She concluded that most needed to be tossed aside, but she did have a few options.

"I suppose extra fabric or a bow could hide any potential bumps, or perhaps something as simple as an empire waist line. They deemphasize a waistline," Eleanor stated as she flipped through several options before she came to two that she thought had a lot of potential. She was about to show them to Blair when she realized Chuck was still in the room. "Charles, perhaps you should wait in my lobby. This is one item of the wedding I believe you should have zero input on."

"You are absolutely right," Chuck smiled, "I'll just poke around your loft and see if I can take a peek at your next line. I always like to be ahead of fashion curve."

"Knock yourself out," Eleanor replied as she motioned him away. Just as he was about to open the door, Eleanor called out to halt him. Before he could process another thing, Eleanor was standing in front of him and offering him a congratulatory hug. "I really am happy for both you and my daughter."

"Thank you," Chuck replied.

"You hurt her or my grandchild, I will castrate you," Eleanor whispered in his ear so that Blair would not overhear.

"Please do," he chuckled as she pulled away.

"Now shoo," Eleanor waved him away again as she and Blair went to work.

* * *

"I bet a hug from Eleanor Waldorf-Rose was the last thing you expected to encounter today," Blair giggled as they were being seating in her favorite restaurant by the hostess.

"Definitely the surprise of the day," he chuckled as he held her chair for her as she accepted the menu from the hostess before he took his own seat.

"What did she say that had you chuckling as she chased you out of her office?" Blair inquired as she peered over her menu to take in his handsome features. He wasn't even bothering to look at the menu, so she had an unobstructed view.

"She promised to castrate me if I hurt you . . ." he replied as he suddenly lowered his voice to add, "Or the baby."

"I hope that doesn't give you second thoughts," she bit her lip in nervousness.

"No second thoughts here," he assured her before he threw the question back at her, "You?"

"No," she shook her head quickly, "No cold feet here either."

"Your mother is just protecting her child," Chuck replied as he reached across the table and grasped her hand, "I can't fault her for that especially since that's going to be us in the near future."

"Great minds think alike," a third voice suddenly joined the conversation in the form of Georgina. "Where's your Prince Charming, B?"

"Sitting across from me," Blair sighed as she and Chuck turned towards one of their least favorite people.

"I think you misheard me," Georgina cackled, "I said Prince Charming, not Prince Smarmy."

"Prince Smarmy is all the way across the Atlantic taking over his evil kingdom," Blair rolled her eyes, "If you want an introduction, I'd be happy to make one. Come to think of it, you'd be the perfect match."

"I happen to be a married woman," Georgina reminded him as she waved her finger in Blair's face that was adorned with a wedding ring.

"Poor bastard," Blair muttered, "How'd you trick him into that? Forge another DNA test?"

"We happen to be in love," Georgina snapped.

Chuck snorted his amusement.

"Go away, Georgina," Blair waved her away, "Chuck and I are having a private moment."

"Oh, Blair, you are so unbelievably stupid. You're never going to get your happily ever after with him. You can't trust a man that doesn't have a soul, and Chuck traded his away long ago – for a hotel, I believe."

"Ancient history," Blair waved off the attempted insult.

"It's your heartache, not mine," Georgina shrugged as she walked away with a sinister grin on her face. She'd have to thank whoever it was for sending her the tip about Blair and Chuck's lunchtime destination. She was going to finally get some payback for all they had done to her over the years.

"Ignore her, Bass," Blair stated as Chuck watched Georgina walk away as she finished pursuing the menu, "She's just trying to cause trouble for us. I'm not going to take her bait, and neither are you."

"It's hard to disagree with some of what she said," he frowned.

Before Blair could comment further, their waiter came to take their orders. What she had planned to say was forgotten as he began prodding her for details on her wedding dress.

**TBC. . .**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Again, I want to say a great big thank you to all those chair fans out there that haven't abandoned this story, and of course to my beta, Lori2279, who is doing awesome work editing this for me and allowing me to bounce ideas off of her.**

"Hmmm," Blair hummed her satisfaction as she and Chuck laid in bed after returning to the Plaza, "If it's possible, you've managed to get even better at sex during our time apart."

"It's the hormones," he chuckled as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face, "I'd wager that Archibald could meet with your standards right now."

"I don't think so," she shook her head, "You've never slept with him. I could have easily fallen asleep in bed with him."

"Perhaps my black book taught him a thing or two."

"Or ten or a hundred," Blair replied. "The boy is hopeless. Serena tried to make it sound good to encourage him, but she was totally faking."

"And you know this how?" Chuck laughed.

"A woman just knows when another woman is faking," she smiled mischievously.

"Sounded pretty convincing to me."

"Trust me," Blair patted his chest affectionately, "She was faking it. As sad as it may sound, Humphrey might have had more skill than your Natie, which isn't saying much because she was totally faking with him too."

"Speaking from experience?" he lifted an eyebrow.

"No," she slapped his chest sharply. "A couple of kisses were quite enough."

"Yet it was more than one," he pointed out.

"One was enough to know that I didn't want another. The second was to piss people off," she glared at him.

"And it worked," he grumbled.

"No more talking about Dan or Nate in bed. It turns my stomach just thinking about it," she announced, "I'd much rather talk about you and your vastly superior talents. Actually, I'd rather not talk and just witness another demonstration."

"I would love to prove my superior skills for you, but I'm meeting Nathaniel for dinner," he replied as he looked towards the clock on the nightstand, "We're going to hash everything out."

"I didn't sign off on a boy's night out," she shook her head.

"It's just dinner," he assured her.

"It's never just dinner when it's the two of you," she eyed him skeptically.

"I promise that I'll behave tonight," he vowed, "And I'll be home in plenty of time to read you a bedtime story and tuck you in."

"I'd rather you sing me one of your special lullabies," she replied as she pecked at his collarbone before running her fingers through the coarse hairs matted against his chest, "You see that I have certain needs only you can meet right now, and it's half your fault that I have these needs."

"Half my fault," he chuckled.

"It was your sperm that fertilized my egg, so yes it is half your fault. Actually it's probably more than half your fault because I'm sure you have overzealous sperm. You are Chuck Bass," she reminded him.

"It will be just dinner," he assured her, "I won't even allow Nathaniel to order dessert."

"Promise?"

"I'll bring dessert home for the three of us," he replied as his hand slid down her body to caress her stomach.

"Something chocolate," Blair added.

"Something chocolate," he repeated with a nod as he slid back up her body to lay a peck on her lips.

"Okay, then I'll let you have a boy's night out with Nate," she replied.

"Thank you so much," he chuckled as she slid out of bed and began her quest to find her phone.

"What are you looking for?" Chuck inquired as he trailed along behind her and picked up their clothes as she tossed them aside when she couldn't find the treasure she sought.

"My phone," Blair responded, "If you're going to have a boy's night out with your best man, I'm going to have a girl's night in with my maid of honor. We'll put The Plaza's world famous service to the test."

"That's my girl," he chuckled as he spun her towards him and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Hmmm," she hummed happily as she dipped in for a tempting kiss, doing everything she could to get him to forget about his silly boy's night and take her back to bed.

"I can be a little late," he chuckled as he lifted her into his arms and returned her to the bed.

* * *

"Are you late or am I early?" Nate inquired as he looked at his watch as Chuck strolled into the restaurant they had agreed upon.

"I'm late, sorry," he replied as he motioned the server towards him. Nate had ordered him his usual drink of choice, but Chuck ordered instead a club soda while pushing his drink across the table towards his best friend. Nate looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. "I can't anymore."

"Can't what?" Nate frowned, "Drink?"

Chuck merely nodded as their server returned with his club soda.

"Did Blair put you up to that?" Nate inquired.

"My own decision, recommended by the doctor at Ostroff," Chuck replied as he took a sip from his glass as he gave their server his dinner order. After waiting for Nate to put in his own order, he looked around to observe the other patrons.

"Bipolar," Nate stated once they were left alone, "What does that mean anyways?"

"That front row seat that you had to my rollercoaster of emotions, that's all part of it. Those moments when it appeared I had extreme bouts of energy and seemed impulsive almost to the point of being out of control, those were my manic states. When I was sullen, inconsolable that was all a part of my depressed states," he explained, "There's more to it, but you get the general idea."

"And now that you're out of Ostroff, that means you're cured?" Nate inquired.

"Doesn't work like that," Chuck shook his head, "This isn't one of those diseases that you take a few pills and it magically disappears. This could be a lifelong battle for me. It's manageable with medication and continued therapy."

"You're wrong," Nate shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure I heard the doctor correctly," Chuck told his clueless best friend.

"I meant you're wrong in that it is a lifelong battle for just you," Nate clarified, "I'm tossing my hat into the ring on this. You will not have to go through this alone. Whatever you need from me, I'll be there for you. Just next time, could you go easy on my face? My jaw is still pretty sore."

"I said I was sorry about that, right?"

"Completely forgiven," Nate nodded.

"Thanks," Chuck nodded slightly as he took another drink from his glass.

"Explain the club soda," Nate motioned towards the glass as he swirled the scotch in the glass originally meant for Chuck.

"The medication that I'm on shouldn't be mixed with alcohol, so for the foreseeable future I'm going sober," he explained.

"And you're okay with that?" Nate inquired.

"I have to be," Chuck responded, "I have to keep it together. I can't lose Blair again. There is entirely too much at stake, too much to lose."

"So you're marrying her," Nate replied, "You're moving a little fast, aren't you? Maybe the two of you should slow things down, get reacquainted first before you jump in with both feet."

"Jumping in with both feet is exactly what Blair and I need to do," Chuck assured him, "This time is different, we're different. Our priorities are straight. Blair is my life. Our future together is the only one that I want or need. I'm a changed man. As that changed man, the first thing I want to do is marry Blair."

"And the second," Nate inquired.

"I'm selling The Empire," Chuck replied, "I'm putting that piece of bad history behind us."

"You can sell every possession that you own, it's not going to change the past," Nate reminded him, "This feels like you're running."

"I am," he nodded, "I'm running towards Blair and our future."

"Your mind is made up. I will not waste anymore time in trying to talk you out of this," Nate replied, "You look really happy, happier than I've ever seen you."

"I am," Chuck smiled, "This is an assumption that Blair and I have made, but I should make it official. You'll be my best man, won't you?"

"Absolutely," he nodded, "I would be honored."

"You have always been the second most important person in my life, Nathaniel. Thank you for always standing by me. I know I haven't always made it easy for you," Chuck responded with a sincerity that surprised Nate.

"That's what best friends do for each other," Nate replied. Nate wanted to make light of the moment and add a bit of humor, but he couldn't. This was an important moment for them, one that was many years in the making. "And you have always been that for me. When the chips are down, you have always come through for me like no one else."

"Brothers?" Chuck offered.

"Always," Nate nodded as he extended his closed fist towards Chuck. Chuck reached up and bumped his fist against Nate's.

"You're getting married," Nate chuckled. He was still in disbelief. "Any nerves about making this commitment?"

"Had you asked me a few months ago or even last year, I would have been terrified of this commitment, but that was before I could fathom what a life without Blair would look like. It's not a pretty sight," Chuck explained, "One that I never want to experience again."

"Make her happy, okay," Nate requested.

Chuck nodded as he took another drink from his glass.

"What is she up to this evening anyways?" Nate inquired, "I'm surprised that she let you out of her sight."

"I had to sign my life away for this one night out, so you'd better appreciate my sacrifice," Chuck joked.

"You're not serious, are you?" Nate's eyes went wide in surprise.

"No," Chuck laughed, "Blair's my fiancée not my warden. She's wasn't altogether thrilled with the idea of a guy's night out, but after pouring on a little charm she decided a night in the suite with Serena was the ticket."

"Have you decided on where you're going to live if you're selling The Empire?" Nate inquired.

"I have calls into all the high end real estate agents in Manhattan," Chuck replied, "I'm hoping to start looking immediately. Until then I'll let Her Majesty Queen Blair of Evelyn Isle enjoy the perks that come with her title at The Plaza's Royal Suite."

"Evelyn Isle?" Nate repeated in confusion.

"I purchased an island in the Caribbean that I whisked her away to. It was in need of a new name. Blair suggested Evelyn Isle," Chuck replied.

"Why would you name your island after that woman?" Nate inquired.

"That woman is my mother," Chuck responded calmly, "It is our way of honoring her."

"What about Elizabeth?" Nate frowned in confusion.

"I know it's a shock, but Jack set it all up. She had an affair with my father. That part was true, but I wasn't a product of that affair. The child that she had was born three months before I was. Evelyn Bass really is my mother," Chuck explained.

"I'm sorry, Man. That must be hard for you," Nate replied.

"It's actually better this way. At least I know that my mother didn't do what Elizabeth did. The mother that I envisioned my entire life gets to stay as the perfect image," Chuck replied.

"But I know how much you've always wanted to know your mother," Nate responded, "It has to be hard knowing that now it will never happen."

"I've dealt with it for most of my life. I'll get through it," he shrugged.

"When did you find out?" Nate inquired.

"Jack told me when he came to town to help take Thorpe down," Chuck replied.

"And you just accepted it," Nate looked at him skeptically.

"Give me a little credit," he replied, "I had the story investigated. It's what I should have done when Elizabeth first appeared. It could have saved us all a lot of heartache."

"I'm sorry," Nate responded.

"Thanks," Chuck nodded as he looked for a quick change of topics, "Serena says that you've been hooked by another cougar. Did the duchess not teach you your lesson the first time?"

"It's different with Diane," Nate stated defensively.

"Look cougars offer a certain . . . excitement. There is no real desire for commitment, only desire for another roll in the sack. The younger the man, the more exciting the fling is. She's not in it for the long haul, so don't get too emotionally involved."

"You're giving me relationship advice," Nate scoffed.

"I'm giving you the benefit of my experience," Chuck replied.

"A cougar never had her hooks into you," Nate stated.

"Because I knew enough to not find myself trapped in such a relationship," Chuck replied, "I've been targeted. I've allowed myself to be seduced on occasion, but I've never allowed myself to be trapped. You have to keep the control in the relationship. You don't have to drop everything every time she calls. It could be to your benefit to be busy on occasion. One added benefit to that tactic, when you are available, she'll be all the more excited to see you."

"I don't know, man," Nate shook off his friend's advice, "Games have never been my forte. I usually end up in more trouble."

"If you take no other advice I give, take this . . . be careful," Chuck stated.

* * *

"We haven't had a girls' night like this in so long," Serena proclaimed as she and Blair sat in front of the large screen television with their hair piled high on the top of their head, their faces covered in an avocado mud mask and a bowl of popcorn and a large box of chocolates in between them as a sappy chick flick played.

"Too long," Blair nodded as she popped a kernel of corn in her mouth and chewed slowly. She'd kept away from the chocolate in anticipation of what Chuck would bring home later that evening. She was certain that his dessert would satisfy her sweet tooth better than what Serena had selected.

"We should make this a monthly ritual," Serena suggested, "Even after you get married. I'm sure Chuck won't mind if you take a night away to pamper yourself."

"I'm sure he won't," Blair smiled as she gazed towards her engagement ring.

"Have I told you yet how happy I am for you and Chuck?" Serena inquired.

"About a thousand times," Blair nodded.

"You and Chuck just makes more sense," Serena replied, "To be honest, aside from the title that Louis could give you, I didn't understand your attraction to him. He seemed frightfully dull."

"I honestly don't know what I saw in him either, especially since it all turned out to be a lie to put himself in line for the throne. I hope Prince Albert and his new bride have an entire litter of children that push Louis and his conniving sister so far down the line that they'll never see the hope of a throne," Blair hissed.

"That's pretty harsh for a man that you intended to marry a month ago," Serena replied.

"Because he had given me such a snow job that I thought he was a good guy," Blair replied, "I have since learned the truth. Chuck may not be perfect, but at least I know who he is and what he's capable of. When Chuck makes a mistake, he owns up to it and does what he can to make amends. Had I not walked away, Louis would have continued on with the charade and eventually humiliated me."

"Changing subject," Serena announced as she could feel Blair's anger reach a boiling point. "Have you and Eleanor begun working on your wedding dress yet?"

"We picked out the design this morning, and she took my measurements," Blair nodded, "She's hoping to have the dress ready for the first fitting next week. She needs you to stop by her loft so she can get your measurements for the maid of honor dress."

"I'll stop by tomorrow," Serena assured her, "But are you sure that you want to rush down the aisle like this?"

"I've never been so sure of anything in my entire life," Blair replied as she caressed her stomach covertly with her thumb, "This is what I want, what Chuck wants."

"I'm not saying don't get married," Serena replied, "I'm just thinking that maybe the two of you should slow this down. There is no rush."

"Perhaps not," Blair conceded, "But this feels right. We've wasted so much time already. We don't want to wait anymore."

"You've only been engaged for a couple of weeks. You're so swept up in the romance of it all, you're not giving yourself a chance to enjoy being engaged or properly planning your fairytale wedding," Serena pointed out.

"I was planning my fairytale wedding to the wrong man," Blair replied, "I've realized that the fairytale isn't as important as marrying the right man. The right man is Chuck."

"But the rush," Serena continued on, "He's not going anywhere."

"I can't explain this so that you'll understand. You're wasting your breath if you think you'll change my mind," Blair held firm.

"Okay, I won't say another word," Serena sighed as she popped another chocolate into her mouth.

"Serena, what have you done to my fiancée?" Chuck gasped as he strolled into the room to find Blair looking more than a little green.

"Oh my god," Blair exclaimed as she held a pillow up to cover her face from his view, "Chuck, you're supposed to be having dinner with Nate."

"I had dinner," he chuckled as he pulled the pillow away, "Per your instructions, I brought home dessert. You're looking a little green, Kermit."

"You're intruding on our evening of pampering," she informed him as she held him at a safe distance as he bent in to kiss her.

"Perhaps I was a little envious," he chuckled, "I believe I'm in need of a little pampering myself."

"We have more avocado," Blair replied with a glimmer of mischief that she directed towards Serena. Without warning, she pinned Chuck to the sofa knowing that he wouldn't fight her because she was pregnant, held him down as Serena slathered his face with the facial mask. All three were chuckling like they hadn't since they were young children when Blair and Serena would gang up on him in a similar manner.

A short while later, Chuck was lying on the sofa with his head in Blair's lap with Serena sitting at Blair's side. All three were wearing their avocado masks. The chick flick continued to play on with the occasional sarcastic comment thrown in by Chuck. Blair would quickly silence him by stuffing a piece of popcorn in his month.

"It's getting late," Serena announced as the end credits of the movie began to roll, "I should be getting home."

"Or stay," Chuck offered, "There are plenty of rooms, and how often are you going to get a chance to stay in the Royal Suite."

"How exactly did you swing this anyways?" Serena inquired, "Isn't this place reserved for visiting royalty?"

"Blair is royalty," Chuck replied.

"I think there is more of a requirement that just Queen Bee of Constance Billard," Serena replied.

"Blair is royal," Chuck repeated.

"Prom Queen doesn't count either," Serena replied.

"She is the queen of our own island," Chuck explained, "I crowned her 'Her Majesty, Queen Blair of Evelyn Isle, complete with the appropriate crown."

"Are you serious?" Serena looked between the pair.

"I can show you the tiara," Chuck told her as Blair ran her fingers through his hair, giving him an adoring smile as she did so. She bent down suddenly and pressed her lips to his, ignoring the avocado on their faces.

"I love you, Bass," she sighed happily.

"I love you, Waldorf," he replied as he reached out to tangle his fingers in the wisps of hair that had fallen out of her hair band.

"Before you start going at it with me in the room, I'm going to go pick out a bed to lay my head on for the evening," Serena announced.

Chuck and Blair laughed as Serena vanished.

"I almost told Serena," Blair confessed as she pecked at his lips again.

"You can tell her," Chuck reminded her, "When we decide to reveal our news is entirely your decision."

"She just kept pressing me about us being in such a hurry to tie the knot. I just wanted to give her the full answer to get her to stop trying to talk me out of it," she sighed.

"You can tell her," he repeated.

"I want to tell people when I'm ready to tell people. I don't want to be forced into it because they think I'm making bad decisions when I know I'm not."

"If you want to wait with the wedding, we can," he offered.

"Don't you start trying to change my mind," she scolded him, "I've gone one round with Serena. I don't have the energy to go through round two with you."

"I'm not trying to change your mind," he insisted, "I'm just making sure that you are making this decision for the right reasons. If you weren't expecting, we wouldn't be walking down the aisle at the end of the month."

"Chances are that's true, but circumstances are what they are. I'm pregnant, and we're getting married in three weeks. I'm excited about it. Now get excited with me," she demanded as she poked him in the ribs.

"I am excited," he replied, "This is the happiest that I've ever been in my life and it's because I'm marrying you and becoming a father in a few months."

"Are you humoring me?" she eyed him skeptically.

"I love you," he replied, "I would say anything to keep that beautiful smile on your face, but no I am not humoring you. These are my genuine feelings."

"Would you tell me if they weren't your genuine feelings?"

"I would figure out a way to soften the blow, but yes, I would tell you," he nodded, "We're getting married in less than three weeks. What would that say about our relationship if I couldn't be honest with you? What would that say about the future of our marriage?"

"I love you," she sighed.

"Let's get this green goop off your face so I can kiss you properly," he suggested as he ran his finger along her jaw, taking a swipe of the gook as he went.

"You'd better be thinking about more than just kissing me," she eyed him, "And you still owe me a dessert, a chocolaty one."

"Would I disappoint you?" he chuckled, "I'll meet you in the bedroom sans the goo."

"Deal," she smiled as she pressed her lips to his.

**TBC. . .**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"That was easily the best night sleep I've ever had," Serena announced as she found Chuck sitting in the dining room reading from some file with Blair nowhere in sight.

"Royal bedding apparently agrees with you," he commented as he took a sip of his espresso.

"A girl could get used to this," Serena nodded as she took a seat at the table and began munching on a pastry that was within her grasp. "Where is Blair?"

"Still asleep," he explained, "We were up pretty late last night."

"Really, I didn't hear anything," Serena responded, her voice tinted with surprise, "They must have sound proofed the master bedroom. Seems like a waste if you ask me. How many royals do you know that actually get it on?"

The corner of Chuck's lip curled into an amused smile. "None that I know of."

"Louis and Blair never . . ." Serena's voice trailed off.

"No," Chuck replied.

"Wow, I'm kind of surprised," Serena stated, "I wonder why."

"Chances are you'll never find out," Chuck replied, "He's out of her life, and I'd appreciate it if you never brought him up again. He hurt her pretty bad."

"No, he didn't," Blair chimed in as she entered the conversation. "He turned out to be somebody other than I thought, but to hurt me I actually had to care about him. I didn't."

"Yes, you did," Chuck corrected her as she came to sit in his lap, "Not in the important way, but you were going to marry him. You can't pretend that you had no feelings for him."

"Chuck's right," Serena chimed in, "We know you better than that."

"Alright, I cared about him," Blair huffed in response, "But that doesn't mean that I'm all torn up over the fact that I'm not marrying him. In fact, I'm not torn up in the least. I know now that I wouldn't have gone through with it even if Chuck hadn't swooped in to save the day."

Blair and Chuck exchanged knowing looks, but Serena looked at the pair in bewilderment.

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" Serena asked finally.

"No," Blair responded as she kissed Chuck's cheek as he caressed her stomach gently.

"I'm going to get my measurement taken today," Serena announced as she changed the subject, "B, did you want to come with? We can do some shopping afterwards, or maybe get some of those to do things done on that wedding checklist I'm sure you have."

"I actually need my fiancée's presence today," Chuck jumped in before Blair could respond.

"What? Why?" Blair stuttered for a response.

"We are house hunting," he told her.

"Already," Serena gasped.

"We're getting married in less than three weeks," he pointed out, "We should have a place to live beyond this hotel. I don't want for us what I had growing up. There is no permanency in this. Blair and I are a permanent lock. I want a residence that symbolizes that."

"That's so sweet," Serena sighed as Blair's heart melted.

"Did you want to come with us, S?" Blair smiled as her head came to rest in the crook of Chuck's neck.

"No, this sounds like a couple thing. I don't want to be the third wheel," Serena shook her head.

"You should come," Chuck added, "Blair and I can use a second opinion."

"We should invite Nate for a third opinion," Blair replied.

"I wouldn't trust his opinion," Serena huffed, "But at least I wouldn't be the third wheel."

"I'll call him," Chuck replied as he lightly tapped Blair's thigh as a signal that he needed to get up. She gave him an adorable pout as she rose dramatically to her feet. "How long do you need to eat and dress?"

"An hour," she offered.

"Make that two," Serena replied, "I have to go home to change."

"Two hours," Chuck nodded as he kissed Blair's cheek before disappearing to call first Nate and then his realtor.

"Are you sure that's really Chuck Bass?" Serena inquired as Blair watched Chuck leave the room with a brilliant smile on his face.

"I'm absolutely, one hundred percent positive that is the real Chuck Bass," Blair giggled, "No one can fake his competence in bed."

"I'm going to be sick," Serena groaned.

"You asked," Blair snickered.

* * *

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Nate inquired as he met up with the trio and the realtor at the realtor's office.

"A new place for Blair and Chuck to live," Serena replied with a roll of her eyes. Of course he'd be the one to ask the dimwitted questions.

"Give me a little credit," Nate glared at his ex, "I'm asking about what type of home they are looking for . . . what features are must haves."

"Oh," Serena stated, "That's actually a good point. What are the two of you looking for in your new home?"

The realtor's ears perked up at the same time as both Blair and Chuck floundered for a response.

"Let's start with the number of bedrooms?" Serena offered.

"Well, I suppose five or more," Blair replied, "And maybe on different levels. We're going to want to put distance between us and any guests we may entertain, and it would be nice for my father and Roman to have some place to stay when they visit."

"The master bedroom has to have at least one walk in closet, but preferably two. My bride is known for her fashion sense, so naturally she has a lot of clothes," Chuck began.

"You're not much better," Blair chimed in.

"As was the point I was going to make," he chuckled.

"The master bath has to have a large tub, a rainfall shower, his and hers sinks, a well-lit vanity," Blair listed.

"With plenty of natural light to allow the sun in by day, and the city lights by night," Chuck added.

The realtor began jotting down notes at a furious pace.

"I want it to be an actual home," Blair replied, "A home with a real front door and steps that lead out to the street and a backyard with trees."

"A circular staircase that allows my wife to make a grand entrance every evening we go out for a night on the town," Chuck added.

"A library for all those books you have hidden. I know you read, quite probably more than I do," she chuckled as she reached out to caress his face, "It's about time to bring that secret out of the closet."

"Enough room for our family no matter how large we expand it," Chuck added as he gave her a knowing wink.

"With the way those two mate, you'd better make sure there are a hundred rooms available," Nate told the realtor.

"And a private rooftop where we can have a garden and where Chuck can disappear for awhile when his demons catch up with him," Blair added.

Chuck took her hand in his and kissed it lightly. His adoration was written across his features. They knew each other so well. Somehow even their dream homes were the same.

"Do we have a desired location?" the realtor asked.

"Upper East Side," the quartet said in unison.

"On or near Fifth would be preferred," Blair added.

The realtor did a quick search of the available listings and then began making the necessary calls to set up viewings. Because she was calling on behalf of Chuck Bass, the viewings were scheduled for that day, the first of which was within the hour.

* * *

"Next," Blair called out as soon as they entered the first home.

"You don't just say no as soon as you walk into a place," Serena replied, "You have to look for potential, not just how it currently looks."

"I can inspect every inch of this place if it will make you happy. I'm telling you right now that I'll know when we find it, and this isn't it," Blair insisted.

"What exactly is this 'it' that you are referring to?" Nate inquired.

"Home," Chuck answered for her as his arm came around her waist, "And Blair's right. This isn't right for us."

"You haven't even given it a chance," Serena replied.

"Tap into your own trust fund then and buy this place for yourself," Chuck replied, "Blair and I are getting married and settling into a life together. This home has to be perfect."

"Not perfect," Blair corrected him, "It just has to feel like home. This place feels like a mausoleum."

"I think you mean museum," Nate replied as he looked at one piece of artwork after another as they twisted and turned while walking from one room into another. Subpar artwork covered nearly every wall.

"Get a dictionary, Nate," Blair replied, "This place is like a tomb. What is another word for a tomb, a mausoleum?"

"You mean thesaurus," Nate scowled at her.

"He dates an older woman, and suddenly he's a know it all," Blair rolled her eyes in Chuck's direction, "What is this one's name anyways?"

"Diane," Nate replied, "She's the founder of this new website that is going to rival Gossip Girl when it's launched and take her down once and for all."

"As noble a goal is that is, what is with you and women old enough to be your mother?" Blair inquired.

"She doesn't look old enough to be my mother," Nate muttered.

"Yes, that helps your case so much," Serena tapped his shoulder as she shook her head.

"And your dating choices are above reproach," Nate glared at her.

"Obviously not because I dated you," she held his glare and returned it with her own.

"Alright, separate corners," Chuck stepped in to defuse the situation as he turned towards their realtor. "Blair and I are in agreement that this isn't the place. Let's move along."

"Of course," the realtor nodded.

* * *

"This is it!" Blair proclaimed the moment they walked into the entryway. It had been a long day of house hunting. Serena and Nate had long ago written off hope of Blair finding anything that she deemed hospitable, yet dutifully followed along.

"Are you sure?" Chuck inquired as he took her hand and lead her around the five floors worth of rooms, classically furnished. She withheld further comment until they returned to the entryway.

"I love everything about this place. From the limestone exterior to the oval staircases to the marble floors. Everything about this place is exactly where I imagined myself living when I got married," Blair stated.

"Well, we're looking at twenty-one thousand square feet, nine bedrooms, nine baths, three powder rooms, eight fireplaces, three terraces, a staff apartment, and an elevator. In total there are sixteen rooms. Every feature that you listed is in this home," the realtor stated.

"What do you think?" Chuck inquired of Blair as he took a look at the list sheet that the realtor extended towards him.

"Chuck, I really want this place," Blair stated as she batted her eyelashes.

"Then you shall have it," he replied as he leaned in for a kiss before he turned to address the realtor once again, "Tell the owner that we'll pay the listed price under one condition."

"The condition?" the realtor inquired after choking on the knowledge that the sale was apparently made.

"We close in two weeks," Chuck replied.

"Two weeks!" the realtor exclaimed.

"My bride-to-be and I will be getting married in two and a half weeks, and I'd like to carry her across the threshold into our new home that very evening," he explained.

"Chuck, Man, that's a lot of money," Nate replied as he took the list sheet from his best friend's hand, "Don't you want to negotiate a little?"

"How much is it?" Serena inquired as she looked over Nate's shoulder, "Thirty-eight million dollars! Are you crazy?"

"And worth every penny," Chuck replied as he watched Blair's eyes widen in surprise. She clearly had no idea what the price was when she made her proclamation.

"Chuck, that's a lot of money," Blair stammered out, "I mean, it is absolutely gorgeous, but we don't need something this extravagant."

"Yes, we do," he assured her as he brought her hand to his lips, "Don't worry one bit about the money. Think of this as my wedding gift to you."

"Chuck," she began an attempt to discourage him again. He halted her with a finger to her lips.

"My gift to you and our child," he whispered into her ear.

Blair nodded as several tears tumbled down her cheeks. This was quite possibly a better gift than the island he'd given her just a few weeks earlier or the tiara only a few days ago. She didn't feel worthy of his indulgent purchases, but she also knew better than to refuse them.

"Make the deal," Chuck told the realtor.

"Are you sure you'll be able to have the financing straightened out in two weeks?" the realtor asked nervously.

Serena, Nate and Blair couldn't help but chuckle at the question. "It shouldn't be a problem," Chuck laughed. He didn't want to give the realtor a heart attack by announcing that he'd be paying cash or rather via a wire transfer.

"Let's go celebrate," Serena suggested.

"I'm actually rather exhausted. All I really want to do is take a hot bath, put my feet up, and relax for the rest of the evening," Blair replied, "Perhaps we can celebrate another night."

"I suppose it has been a rather exhausting day," Serena conceded.

"Did either of you need a lift anywhere?" Chuck inquired as they walked back down the steps towards the waiting limo as the realtor stayed inside to complete the necessary business.

"No," Serena shook her head, "It's a short walk to my mother's from here."

"Serena, I'll keep you company," Nate offered.

"Lucky me," Serena responded with a hint of sarcasm.

"We'll talk soon," Chuck nodded as he guided Blair to the limo. With a quick wave to her friends she stepped in.

"I'm so tired," Blair announced as her head came to rest against his shoulder as the limo started towards The Plaza.

"I hope you didn't over do it today," Chuck's voice dripped with concern as his hand found her abdomen and caressed her softly.

"We're fine," Blair turned her head to smile at him as her hands closed around his.

"Are you sure that home is what you're wanting?" he inquired, "I hope you aren't just settling because you didn't find anything else you liked better. If you aren't sure, we can keep looking."

"I felt it the moment we first stepped foot inside the home," Blair replied, "It just felt like destiny had stepped in. The only other time I had that feeling was the very first night with you in this very limo."

"As long as you are absolutely sure," he pressed.

"If it's about the money, I can contribute some from my trust fund," she offered.

"It's not about the money," he assured her, "And while your offer to contribute is appreciated, it is unnecessary. I am most willing and able to buy this for you."

"I love you," she smiled as she reached out to caress his chin, "How did I get so lucky to find such a generous man?"

"When you find your answer, perhaps you can help me find mine to the question of how I got so lucky to find such a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent . . ." Chuck stated.

"You loved me," she replied, "That's how you got me."

**TBC. . .**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Congratulations, Mister Bass, the owners have accepted your offer and conditions regarding the sale. You close in two weeks," Chuck's realtor called early the next morning with the news.

"Thank you," Chuck responded in a hushed tone as he turned towards his soundly sleeping fiancée. She was curled up with a pillow facing him with a serene smile on her face. His engagement ring glimmered in the early morning light that was filtering through the drapes.

"I have some paperwork that you'll need to come into my office sometime today to sign," the realtor added.

"I will stop by after my other appointment this morning," Chuck replied as he reached out to caress Blair's bare shoulder.

"I'll have the paperwork ready," the realtor assured him, "I have a few showings this morning, but if I am not in the office, I will make sure that my assistant has the paperwork."

"Thank you," Chuck replied.

"Chuck," Blair mumbled in her sleep as Chuck set his phone aside. His movements must have caused the bed to move just enough to pull her from her deep slumber.

"Go back to sleep," Chuck whispered into her ear as he wrapped her up tight in his arms as she tossed the pillow aside and shifted closer to him.

"Is everything alright?" she asked as the sleep started to pull at her again.

"Everything is wonderful," he assured her as he kissed her temple. She relaxed into his embrace as her breathing evened out and she was sound asleep once more.

They'd returned to the suite after their long day of touring Manhattan real estate opportunities, and Blair promptly feel asleep in the bathtub. He didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead he'd pulled the plug on the water and promptly dried her skin before a cold chill could awaken her. He then carried her to bed and tucked her in. She'd been asleep ever since. Breakfast was already ordered, but he'd wait for it to arrive before he pulled her from her slumber.

"Can we make sure this is how we wake up on the day after we're married?" Blair inquired when she awoke an hour later in Chuck's strong arms.

"I believe we can accommodate that request," he whispered into her ear.

"How long have you been awake?" she inquired as she turned in his arms to burrow her head into his chest.

"Awhile," he told her as his hands began to roam the bare skin of her back.

"The last thing I remember yesterday is napping in the tub," she confessed.

"That would make sense considering that is how I found you," he chuckled.

"It was a busy day," Blair stated defensively.

"And I have news regarding yesterday's find," he replied, "The owner has agreed to our offer and terms. We'll be the proud new owners of a five floor Manhattan Brownstone Mansion in just two weeks time."

He could feel Blair's radiant smile against his chest as she began pecking away at him.

"What time is it?" Blair inquired.

"Nearly nine," he told her as she rolled him onto his back and pinned him down, "I have an appointment in an hour."

"You can be a little late, can't you?" she pouted.

"I'm sorry, Beautiful, but no I can't," he shook his head, "But if you'll let me, I'll make it up to you with lunch."

"I'm meeting Serena today at my mother's loft," Blair replied, "And I need to arrived before Serena to reiterate to Mother that our pregnancy needs to be kept quiet."

"Have you told her yet that we're keeping the news private until after the wedding?" Chuck inquired.

"I did," Blair nodded, "But you know how she gets around Serena sometimes, like a little school girl gossiping with her besties."

"If she hasn't told Cyrus, she won't tell Serena," Chuck assured her.

"We don't know that she hasn't told Cyrus," Blair replied.

"If she'd told Cyrus, we would have heard from him by now," Chuck replied.

"Yeah, maybe so," she sighed.

"So lunch is out, how about dinner?" Chuck offered, "I'll let you choose anywhere in New York City."

"How thoughtful of you," Blair replied, "But we're having dinner at Lily's remember."

"I promise to make it up to you one way or another," Chuck frowned in frustration.

"I know," she sighed as she clawed lightly at his chest, "But we knew how chaotic these days leading up to our wedding would be."

"Had I known how chaotic, I would have pushed harder for us to elope," Chuck groaned in disappointment.

"It's only for a few weeks," she told him, "Then we have a lifetime of leisure to look forward to."

"A lifetime," he repeated with a gigantic grin so unlike his somber nature. He gave her one long, lingering kiss before he exited the bed and began preparing for the day.

"Call me before you have lunch," Blair requested as she ambled into the bathroom as he was working his tie into a perfect Windsor knot, "Maybe Serena and I can meet you somewhere for lunch. It's not exactly the lunch that I'm sure you're hoping for, but it's better than eating alone, isn't it?"

"It is," he nodded as he kissed her lips lightly.

"I love you, Chuck," Blair called out to him as he turned to leave.

Chuck turned around abruptly and encased her waist with his arms. "I love you too," Chuck whispered before he devoured her lips.

* * *

"Mister Bass, you've missed our last four sessions," his therapist scolded him upon his returned to the Ostroff Center for his therapy session.

"Yes, I did," Chuck acknowledged.

"You were doing well in treatment, Chuck, but as I told you when you checked out, you still have to do the work. The medication is only part of the treatment," the therapist replied.

"I shouldn't have missed my appointments, and I shouldn't have checked out against your advice," Chuck owned up to his mistakes, "But I could not let Blair marry the wrong man. I had to take extreme measures to ensure that we would still have a chance."

"I read the society pages," the doctor stated, "I see that there is a wedding in your very near future. I'm questioning the reason why?"

"I love her," Chuck responded instantly.

"As you have made very clear," the doctor nodded, "But these impulsive decisions are part of what has been your problem. Are you still taking your medication?"

"Yes," he nodded quickly, "I'm taking my pills every day. I'm not mixing them with any alcohol or other recreational substances. I'm doing exactly what was asked of me."

"Except skipping your therapy sessions," the doctor stated.

"That was a mistake," Chuck admitted, "But Blair and I needed to get away to reconnect, to lay all of our cards on the table, and determine our path for our future."

"Have you considered that Blair could be a destructive force in your life?" the doctor inquired.

"No," Chuck growled, "She is my light at the end of the tunnel. She is the air I breathe. She is my reason for existing."

"She's also the reason you punched your hand through a glass window, spiraled down so far down that there nearly wasn't that light at the end of the tunnel," the doctor replied.

"Don't ever say that," Chuck snapped, "She is not the reason I did any of that. I made those mistakes. She had nothing to do with any of that. She is the love of my life, the mother of my child. I will not have anyone insulting her, especially the therapist that is supposed to be helping me get my life back on track so that I can be worthy of her."

"Mother of your child or future children," the doctor's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Mother of the child she is currently carrying," Chuck replied as his voice softened, "Blair is pregnant with my child."

"How did you take the news when she gave it to you?" the doctor inquired.

"It felt that world had suddenly stopped. All my focus went to that one moment. I knew that I had one chance to react, to be the man that Blair needed me to be, that my child needed me to be," Chuck replied.

"But did the news make you happy?" the doctor pressed.

"I never saw myself as the guy that would want children," he confessed, "I never saw myself as the type of man that would want to settle down and marry one woman and buy a home and have a child, but as soon as the news sunk in it felt as if I'd been living my life to get to that one moment in time. I'd never been as excited and anxious for my future as I am at the moment."

"Are you saying what you truly feel or what you feel everyone expects you to say?" the doctor inquired.

"I have never been as happy in all my life," Chuck replied, "That isn't something I could fake. Blair would see right through it."

"Is your impending fatherhood the reason for your accelerated trip down the aisle?"

"Yes," Chuck nodded. His doctor looked surprised by such a candid response. "Blair and I were engaged before we found out she was pregnant, so eventually we would have been married anyways. When we found out, we both agreed that we wanted to be married before the baby is born."

"Unless the medical text books have changed since I went to medical school, you usually have nine months to prepare. Even if she's two months along, that still leaves you with seven months. Take those seven months to make sure that you're ready for marriage," the doctor suggested.

"I don't need seven months to know that I want to marry Blair. I don't even need seven months to know that I want to be a father. I want all of it now, right this minute if it was possible," Chuck replied as his face lit up in a way that his doctor could not ignore. Though the doctor still had serious reservations, he said nothing. There would be another day to voice his concerns.

* * *

"So, Blair and I are going furnishing shopping after lunch," Serena announced as Chuck joined the duo for lunch, "Can we have your credit card?"

"Hello to you too, Serena," Chuck laughed as he bent down to kiss Blair in greeting before he took a seat next to her.

"Oh, sorry, hi," Serena stated as she extended her hand, "Credit card, please."

"Do I look stupid?" Chuck replied as his arm came around the back of Blair's chair.

"Are you going to make Blair and her trust fund pay to furnish your new abode?" Serena frowned.

"No," Chuck responded simply, "I intend to take care of my blushing bride's every wish and desire, which includes picking up the tab as she decorates."

"Then hand over that plastic," Serena demanded.

"I don't believe you get to make that demand," Chuck told her with an amused smile spread across his face as he turned his attention to Blair, "Blair, are you in need of my credit card for the afternoon?"

"No," Blair shook her head, "I think I'll just browse today."

"How could you turn down the offer to use his credit card?" Serena exclaimed in outrage, "Think of how much damage we could do to his credit score."

"We're buying a home together," Blair reminded her best friend, "I think damaging Chuck's credit score right now could be counterproductive."

"I think I can afford to take the hit," Chuck smirked.

"I'll just browse today," Blair repeated as she caressed his chin softly, "How did your appointment go this morning?"

"Productive," Chuck replied, "I also made it to the realtor's office to formalize our offer. I must say everyone in the office is bending over backwards to accommodate."

"They're probably just nervous that you'll withdraw the offer and wipe away that fat payday they are in for," Serena chimed in.

"Is my bride still as sold on the home today as she was yesterday?" Chuck inquired as he caressed her bare shoulder softly. He felt her shiver at his touch as she nodded. "A little chilled, Blair?"

"No," she shook her head slightly as she caught his eye. Her eyes were sparkling with happiness and the slightest touch of lust.

"How is it that Blair invites you to our lunch, and suddenly I'm the third wheel?" Serena inquired as she felt the sexual tension between the pair begin to build.

"Get used to it, S," Chuck replied, "When we become man and wife, you'll be the permanent third wheel."

"It's not too late to call the whole thing off, B," Serena stated.

"Not a chance," Blair replied as she leaned in and kissed Chuck deeply.

"How did the fittings go?" Chuck inquired as he pulled away as Blair wiped at his lips to erase her lip gloss, "Did Eleanor behave herself?"

"She did," Serena confirmed, "And her designs for the wedding are breathtaking. I think I'm going to see a few tears coming from your eyes when you first lay eyes on your bride."

"I'm sure you're right," Chuck nodded.

"So aside from the realtor's, what other appointment did you have this morning that had you running out of the bedroom so fast this morning that you couldn't even spare a few minutes to leave me, your fiancée, satisfied?" Blair inquired.

"It's not important," Chuck spoke softly.

"Yes, it is," Blair replied, "We're going to be married in just a few weeks. We shouldn't have any secrets."

"It's not a secret," Chuck assured her as he began nuzzling at her neck in effort to distract her from pursuing the conversation any further.

"Then tell me," Blair requested as he didn't explained as she held him at arm's length.

"I will," Chuck replied, "Later."

"Since when are their secrets between us?" Serena chimed in as he continued to dodge Blair's request for information.

"It's nothing that you have to know about right this very minute," Chuck hissed, "Let it go."

"You will tell me later," Blair hissed back as she shrugged his hand away from her shoulder to show her displeasure.

**TBC. . .**

**So I know this chapter doesn't really have Chuck and Blair dealing with his illness together, but don't think that I have forgotten. Door has been opened a crack. Expect Blair to want to kick it in.**

**I have to thank Lori2279 for allowing me to pester her with trivial decisions that I'm trying to make as I write this. I'm probably annoying her to no end, but its such a help have someone to bounce ideas off of. Thanks, Lori!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**A great, big, gigantic thank you to my beta, Lori2279, for her diligence and patience as I write this. Her encouragement has meant so much to me, as has the reviews I've been getting (though they were pretty light for the last chapter) :( **

**I hope you all are enjoying this alternative to the current storyline on GG. **

"Blair, Charles, Serena told me the wonderful news about the two of you buying a new home," Lily greeted them that evening with the warmest of hugs, "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Blair replied, "You'll have to come see it once we've moved in and had a chance to hire a decorator."

"If you need a referral, I happen to know of many qualified decorators," Lily responded.

"I just might take you up on that," Blair stated as Lily's housekeeper appeared to take their coats as Lily offered drinks.

"Club soda," Chuck requested.

"And Blair," Lily prompted her.

"I'll have the same," Blair replied.

Lily looked at the pair curiously. "Is there something you haven't told me?"

"I've been advised to stay away from alcohol for the foreseeable future," Chuck offered up his quick explanation, "Blair is being supportive."

"Charles, now that things have settled down a bit after your return, I'm hoping that you and I can sit down and talk," Lily replied, "I believe it is long overdue."

"It certainly is," Blair urged Chuck to follow Lily up the staircase to her office, "I'll go find Serena and see if we can go over wedding details."

"We'll be down in time for dinner," Lily assured her as Chuck paused for a moment to give Blair a quick kiss.

"Hi, Rufus," Blair greeted him in the living area, "Do you know where Serena is by any chance?"

"I believe she's in her bedroom," Rufus responded.

"Thank you," Blair replied as she moved towards the bedroom before she heard Dan's voice calling out to her. She hadn't seen him sitting with his father. "Hi, Dan."

"Can we talk for a moment in private?" Dan requested.

"I actually really need to see Serena," Blair replied. After their last encounter, she didn't want to be in the same room as him, not to mention alone in the room with him.

"Just for a moment," Dan requested once again.

"Okay," she nodded reluctantly as she followed him back out to the balcony. The humidity of the August day began to suffocate her as soon as she stepped out. As Dan stepped out behind her, she realized he was between her and the door. She knew she was overreacting, but she felt herself starting to hyperventilate as if the air was being sucked out of her and felt trapped.

"Blair, I'm sorry about how I reacted the other evening," Dan began with an apology, "I crossed a line, and I frightened you. It won't happen again."

"Dan, I'm sure this must be difficult for you watching me agree to marry two different men, when neither of them are you especially when I know you have certain feelings for me," Blair replied, "I'm sorry for that, but I need you to know that it would never be you. You became a good friend to me this past winter when I felt my life falling apart, but that's all you'll ever be – a friend. I love Chuck. I love him in a way I could never love another man, certainly not you."

"Could you at least pretend to spare my feelings for a moment?" Dan requested.

"No," Blair shook her head quickly, "Because if I do, you may misconstrue my compassion for something that its not, and I need to make myself perfectly clear. In two weeks, I am marrying Chuck. There will be a wedding and it will not be interrupted. If you can't accept my choice, then I'd rather you not come."

"Blair, I . . ." he began.

"No, listen to me," Blair interrupted him, "I have never stopped loving Chuck for even a moment. Even after everything that we've gone through, every way he's hurt me, I have always been in love with him. We're starting a life together. We're buying a home."

"You are so focused on the fairytale that you are shoving aside all of the pain he has caused you," Dan cut off any additional comment she was going to make.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Blair hissed.

"He's going to hurt you again," Dan insisted, "Chuck Bass is not a man that his capable of providing you with the happy ending that you are looking for."

"That just shows how little that you know about him," Blair responded calmly, "Of course we're going to have bumps along the way. I'm not naïve enough to believe that every day from here on out is going to be perfect. We are still going to struggle, but at the end of the day we'll be struggling as man and wife."

"I won't be there to pick up the pieces when your world crumbles again," Dan drew his line in the sand.

"And I wouldn't want you there," Blair snapped, "It's like you're cheering for me to fail. What type of friendship is that? A true friend would want me to be happy. I guess I was wrong about you after all. Consider yourself officially uninvited to my wedding."

"Blair, come on," Dan reached out for her arm.

Blair recoiled instantly, "Don't touch me. Don't talk to me. From this moment on you are that same pathetic lovesick boy you were in high school that I could not tolerate being in the same room with."

"Blair," Dan tried to reach for her again.

"B, you okay?" Serena inquired as she found the pair out on the balcony for the second time in less than a week.

"No," Blair shook her head as she pushed past Dan quickly, "Do me a favor, S, keep this insect away from me."

"B, that's a bit harsh," Serena pointed out.

"I don't care," Blair replied as she left the balcony abruptly and dashed towards the nearest bathroom.

"What do you say to her?" Serena growled.

"She is so wrapped up in the idea of a perfect, fairytale life. She's not even allowing for the possibility that this road could lead to more heartache and pain," Dan replied.

"What do you expect, Dan!" Serena exclaimed, "She's getting married in a couple of weeks. Every bride goes into her wedding day with that blissful sense of hope."

"I just want her to know what she's getting herself in to," Dan insisted.

"No, what you want is for her to change her mind and choose you," Serena corrected him, "She doesn't have those feelings for you, Dan. You need to let this go."

"How can I let this go when I know she is making such a monumental mistake?" Dan replied.

"This time you need to let her make it," Serena replied, "As hopeful as she is about the future, she also knows what she is getting in to. She's seen Chuck at his absolute worst, and she knows what he's capable of. She's willing to take a risk. We have to support her in that. It's what a friend does."

"She's making the biggest mistake of her life," Dan insisted.

"Says you," Serena replied, "I might agree with you that she's moving a little fast, but I believe that Chuck is her soul mate. As her friend, I will be there to support her, wish her well, and if things don't work out exactly as she has planned, I will help her move on with her life. My advice to you is to stay away. You clearly cannot be objective about this."

* * *

"Charles, I want to start this conversation by saying how incredibly happy I am for you," Lily began.

"But," Chuck prompted her.

"No but," Lily shook her head, "You have gone through quite an ordeal these past few years. If anyone deserves to have some happiness in their life it is you."

"You didn't bring me up here to tell me this," Chuck replied, "So what are you wanting to talk about?"

"You checked into the Ostroff Center and were given a pretty difficult diagnosis," Lily replied, "I was hoping we could discuss it."

"Bipolar," Chuck stated with a nod.

"I'm assuming you told Blair," Lily stated.

"Yes," Chuck nodded, "I told her on the flight to our island."

"That's good," Lily stated as she patted his knee affectionately, "She's going to be a good support structure for you in dealing with this."

"It's just medication every day," Chuck tried to shrug her off.

"Hence the no alcohol," Lily realized, "I should have known better."

"It's okay, Lily," Chuck assured her.

"Have you and Blair come up with a plan of action to tackle this?" Lily inquired.

"Honestly aside from making sure that I take my medication every day, we haven't really talked about it yet," he admitted, "I don't even know that much about it. The doctors gave me some literature to go through at the hospital, but I haven't read it. Perhaps after the wedding, we'll sit down and come up with that plan."

"You are so much like your father," Lily shook her head, "I often wondered if he suffered from some mental illness. He had his extreme up and downs, like you."

"You're saying that you think Bart was the one that was bipolar, that I got this from him," Chuck assumed.

"It is possible," Lily replied, "I've read that it can be genetic."

"That's what the doctor told me," Chuck nodded. It was the only thing he'd actually heard the doctor say when he was given the diagnosis.

"I assume that you and Blair have discussed starting a family. Have you given this complication any thought?" Lily inquired.

"It's been brought up, briefly, during our plane ride, but we haven't talked about it since," he admitted, "We probably should talk about it again, especially now."

"Especially now," Lily repeated as she eyed him curiously for a moment as his words sunk in fully, "Charles, is there a grandchild in my near future?"

"I…ah…" Chuck fumbled for a response. He didn't want to reveal Blair's secret without her approval, but he also didn't want to lie to the woman that he considered his mother in the most important of ways.

"Is this baby the reason for the mad dash down the aisle?" Lily inquired as she took his non-response as the affirmation that Blair was indeed pregnant.

"It's part of it," Chuck admitted, "When she told me, we both agreed that we wanted to be married before the baby came."

"As noble as that is, are you sure the baby is yours?" Lily asked delicately, "She was recently engaged to another man."

"I'm one hundred percent positive that it's mine," Chuck nodded.

"How could you be one hundred percent positive?" Lily inquired, "Especially without a paternity test, which I'm assuming is much too soon to take. How pregnant is she?"

"Two and a half months," Chuck replied, "And we can be one hundred percent certain without a paternity test because Blair has never been with Louis."

Lily sat in stunned silence for a few moments as she processed his news. "When did the two of you . . .? You two haven't dated in months."

"The night Russell Thorpe came after her," Chuck responded, "After I rescued her, we snuck into a bar mitzvah, got a little carried away, and had one incredible night that resulted in this surprise that has given me a second reason to be the happiest I've ever been in my life."

"Charles, I don't know what to say," Lily responded.

"Congratulations works," he suggested.

"Congratulations, of course, congratulations," Lily exclaimed as she reached over and hugged her son.

"Blair doesn't want anyone to know just yet," Chuck explained, "We've only told Dorota and Eleanor."

"Not Serena?" Lily's eyes went wide in surprise.

"She's not exactly the most dependable when it comes to life altering secrets," Chuck replied, "We want the focus on the wedding to be on the fact that we are finally getting things right. We'll announce her pregnancy sometime after."

"Your secret is safe with me," Lily assured him as she hugged him again. Her jubilant smile was infectious. She was clearly thrilled to learn that she was to become a grandmother soon.

"Before you say anything to Blair, please let me break the news that I spilled her secret," he requested.

"Of course," Lily replied, "I'd hate for my future daughter-in-law to be upset with me more than she is with her groom to be."

"I appreciate that," he chuckled.

"It appears that we've gotten a bit off track," Lily replied, "We do need to talk about your diagnosis."

"I know," Chuck nodded, "And I know it's going to sound as though I'm avoiding the issue, but can this wait for a little later? I'm sure that my sister is wearing slightly on my fiancée's nerves by now, or perhaps the other way around. Either way she is in need of rescuing."

"I suppose this discussion can wait for another day," she concluded, "But we will be having this conversation."

"Of course," Chuck replied.

Chuck reached the main floor just as Blair reemerged from the bathroom.

"Is everything all right, Beautiful?" Chuck inquired.

"I'm actually not feeling well," Blair stated as she shook her head, "Do you think your mother would mind postponing until another day?"

"I'm sure she'll understand," he assured her, "Let's get you back to the Plaza."

"The Plaza," Serena exclaimed, "You two just got here. We were going to celebrate your big purchase."

"It will have to wait for another day," Chuck replied as Lily came down the stairs, "Lily, Blair's not feeling well. Would you mind if we did the celebrating another day?"

"Of course not," Lily replied, "Take her home, Charles, and make sure she is well taken care of."

"I will," Chuck nodded as he guided Blair to the elevator.

"I hope you feel better, Blair," Lily waved them off.

Serena turned on her heel and went to yell at Dan some more. She knew that her ex-boyfriend was the reason for Blair's sudden illness. Lily came along to referee.

"Are you happy now?" Serena confronted Dan when he returned to the living area where Rufus had been sitting peacefully with a good book, "Blair left and it is all your fault. We were going to celebrate their good fortune as the family we are."

"Hold on a minute, Serena," Rufus rose to his feet to referee, "It's not fair to accuse my son of something that is untrue."

"Rufus, wake up!" Serena moaned, "Your son is as manipulative as your daughter. He is on a mission to make sure that Blair is miserable simply because she rejected him twice."

"That's not what happened," Dan defended himself.

"Dan, what did happen?" Rufus pressed his son for an explanation.

"I may have mentioned that Blair and Chuck are rushing into marriage and that it wouldn't last," Dan replied.

"Why would you say such a thing?" Rufus inquired, his voice full of disappointment.

"She was engaged to another man only a few weeks ago," Dan stated defensively, "She's just so terrified of ending up alone that she's going to accept the proposal of any man that asks."

"Except one," Serena proclaimed gleefully.

"Dan, you're going to have to come to terms with the fact that Blair is engaged to the correct man," Rufus stated.

"How can you defend the man that defiled your daughter?" Dan exclaimed in outrage.

"Jenny made her own choices that evening. There were many mistakes made leading up to that night by so many people, including myself. I was wearing blinders when it came to seeing the person that my daughter was becoming, and apparently I'm wearing those same blinders when it comes to my son," Rufus explained, "I have worked through my anger regarding that evening, and have given Lily's son another chance."

"Blair deserves better," Dan insisted.

"It's not up to you to decide what Blair deserves," Rufus replied, "She has chosen Chuck. As you claim to be her friend, you have to respect her decision, even if you feel it is the wrong one."

"He's going to hurt her," Dan replied.

"He might," Rufus nodded, "Or she could hurt him or they could hurt each other. It is still Blair's choice to make."

Knowing that he didn't have anyone on his side in the room, Dan promptly stormed out.

"Next time you invite Blair and Chuck to dinner, Mother, make sure that Humphrey isn't invited," Serena snarled, "Rufus, I'm sorry. I know he's your son, but I cannot stand the sight of him at the moment. If Blair and Chuck will have me, I'm going to stay with them at the Plaza for the time being, or I'll be staying at the Waldorf penthouse."

"Serena, wait," Lily halted her daughter, "This is your home."

"Be that at it may, I really don't want to risk running into Dan when he stops by for a visit," Serena replied.

* * *

"What's wrong, Blair?" Chuck inquired as Blair burrowed into his arms as they rode back to the Plaza. She wasn't in tears. She didn't appear ill, so it left Chuck baffled as to why she had wanted to make such an abrupt exit. "Did you and Serena have a skirmish?"

"Take out Serena and insert Dan," Blair replied as she began toying with one of the buttons on his perfectly fitted dress shirts, "I uninvited him to the wedding."

"He still thinks you're making a mistake," Chuck concluded.

"Any decision that I make that doesn't include him as my leading man is a mistake," Blair replied, "You'd think he'd be used to hearing no from women."

"Not one as wonderful as you," Chuck responded.

"Flattery will get you everywhere with me," she replied with a slight smile.

"Lily knows about the baby," Chuck confessed.

"What!" she exclaimed, "Chuck, how could you?"

"I didn't," he spoke quickly, "She guessed, and I couldn't refute her. I can't lie to her, Blair."

"Couldn't you have tried?" Blair sighed.

"She promised she wouldn't say anything," Chuck replied, "And I trust her the way that you trust Dorota and Eleanor."

"I suppose it is only fair," she sighed, "Perhaps we should tell Arthur so that we can make it even."

"Just Lily," Chuck assured her.

"What were you talking about anyways that caused her to guess I was pregnant?" Blair inquired.

"My diagnosis," Chuck replied, "We haven't really talked about it even though she was with me when the doctors gave me the news. We were talking about the genetic component of it. I made mention that you and I talked about it briefly and that it needed to be revisited soon. She guessed it from there. She seems to think I might have inherited it from Bart."

"Do you think it's possible?" Blair inquired.

"I guess it's possible. I don't really remember any manic episodes like I've gone through, but there was definitely the depression," Chuck explained.

"We should talk more about what you're going through," Blair replied, "We've read nearly everything we can get our hands regarding my pregnancy, but we haven't done the same with your disease. You'll need to educate me on this so that I know how to help you."

"I don't know much more than you do," he admitted, "The doctors gave me a quick run through and gave me some literature to read, but I haven't looked at it."

"We need to get educated together then," she concluded, "All I really know is your medication schedule."

"Keeping me on my schedule is probably the most important part right now," Chuck replied, "The doctors have warned me that even if I think the medication is unnecessary that I need to keep taking it. So I guess the best way to help me right now is to make sure that I keep taking the medication. If necessary nag me to do it."

"You're giving me permission to nag?" Blair inquired, "Can I have that in writing please?"

"I'll have my lawyers draft something first thing in the morning," he chuckled.

"Are you going to tell me yet why you were in such a hurry to leave me this morning?"

"I had a therapy session this morning," he confessed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she inquired, "I would have wanted to go with you."

"That is precisely why I didn't tell you," he replied.

"Don't you want me there?" she pouted slightly.

"I'm not at that point in my therapy yet where I feel comfortable bringing others into my session," he admitted.

"Even me?"

"Even you," he replied as he kissed her forehead softly, "This is new to me. I'm not one that is good with verbalizing my feelings. Each session has been a struggle."

"I still wish you would have told me," she replied.

"I should have," he nodded, "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to keep you in the dark."

"What was your intention then?" she inquired.

"I guess I thought I would be protecting you," he replied, "We've read that it's best to keep your stress to a minimum for the sake of you and the baby, and I don't know on any given day where these therapy sessions could lead."

"Okay," she accepted his explanation, "But from now on, I want to know about each session before it happens. If for no other reason than that I know what is going on with you."

"Deal," he nodded as he tilted her head at a better angle so he could give her a tender kiss.

"I love you, Chuck," she replied as she began pecking at his lips.

"I love you," he added as he felt the limo pull to a stop in front of the Plaza.

Just as they walked into the hotel, Blair's phone rang. "Hey, S."

"_B, I know why you said you aren't feeling well, and I gave Dan a severe tongue lashing for it,"_ Serena informed her.

"That is very thoughtful of you," Blair replied.

"_You can say no if you want to, but I was hoping that I could stay with you and Chuck for a little while,"_ Serena requested, _"I can't take accidentally running into Dan at the breakfast table."_

"Do you mind if Serena camps out in one of the available bedrooms in our suite?" Blair asked Chuck, "She's avoiding Dan."

"She's always welcome," Chuck replied.

"We're both fine with it," Blair replied, "Tell the front desk to let you up. I think Chuck and I will be turning in early."

"_Okay,"_ Serena replied, _"I'll see you at breakfast then. Thanks."_

"Anytime," Blair replied.

**TBC. . .**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Blair is still asleep," Serena concluded as she joined Chuck for breakfast the next morning. They could tell that this was going to become a routine that they would have to get used to again as it had been too long since they'd cohabitated.

"I'm afraid I wore her out last night," he chuckled in anticipation of Serena's response.

She didn't disappoint as her face scrunched up in disgust as she shrieked, "Ew!"

Chuck laughed a little harder as he poured her a cup of coffee

"Shouldn't you be asleep as well," Serena eyed him curiously, "Don't you go through the same work out as she does? Wait, don't answer that. I really don't want those images in my head."

"Such the prude," he baited her.

"Such the nymphomaniac," was her quick retort.

Her reply had Chuck laughing harder.

"Can I ask you something?" Serena inquired.

"An intriguing prospect," he smirked, "What if I say no?"

"I'll ask anyways," she replied, "So you might as well say yes."

Chuck waited patiently for her to ask the question.

"Why do you keep turning down alcohol?" Serena inquired, "Did you make a promise to Blair or something?"

"If only it was that simple," Chuck sighed.

"How is it complicated?" Serena inquired.

"How much did Lily tell you about my visit to the Ostroff Center?" he asked.

"She only really told me that you were in treatment for severe depression," Serena replied, "We've all been there. If it was like when I was there, they just made you talk about your feelings for awhile and then let you out."

"There was a bit more to my visit than being treated for depression and sharing my feelings," Chuck explained.

"How much more?"

"I was diagnosed as bipolar," Chuck stated.

"What does that mean?" Serena inquired with a confused shake of her head.

"It means that the extreme mood swings that I've gone through virtually my entire life actually have a clinical explanation," he replied, "It also means that for the foreseeable future, I will be on medication that is dangerous to mix with alcohol and other recreational substances."

"You've told Blair about this, haven't you?" Serena inquired.

"Of course," he nodded, "I wouldn't dream of marrying her if I was keeping something like this from her. We haven't talked about it in depth, but we will."

"So that champagne toast at the wedding reception won't inspire as much of a buzz as usual," Serena replied.

"You'll still be able to get your buzz on," he reassured her, "But Blair and I will lift our glasses with sparkling cider."

"She'll stand by you through anything," Serena replied, "I hope you realize that and don't take advantage."

"She has already proven that," Chuck replied.

"I hope you're not going to continue testing her," Serena glared at him, "You've put her through far too much as it is."

"I know," he responded, his voice full of regret, "I've put her through far more than she deserved. I tried to give her what I felt she deserved in walking away so she could be with Louis, but I couldn't lose her. Now I'm trying to give her the best that I have. If it means medication for the rest of my life and never touching another drop of alcohol, I'm going to do it."

"If you need help with that, I'll volunteer to make sure you stay sober," she chimed in.

"Are you going to give me a breathalyzer test every day before I go to bed?" he chuckled.

"If you think it would be necessary," Serena smirked.

"It's not," Chuck replied, "I have a strong incentive to keep myself clean and sober."

"Why the rush with this wedding?" Serena inquired, "What difference does two weeks or two months or two years make?"

"Absolutely none," Chuck replied, "Which is why we're getting married in two weeks. Why wait when we have the resources and resolve to make the commitment?"

"I guess you have a point," she conceded, "But I still think you are rushing because you both fear what could happen in the future."

"Your concerns are appreciated and noted," Chuck replied.

"And I'll still be at Blair's side in two weeks supporting you both," Serena assured him.

"I know," Chuck nodded.

"Even though I think you're rushing into this entirely too fast, I cannot tell you how excited I am for this wedding," she confessed, "Blair's dress is breathtaking."

"I'd expect nothing less," Chuck smiled, "My fiancée has exquisite taste."

"Obviously," Blair smiled as she came into the room and wrapped her arms around his neck as she greeted him with a good morning kiss, "I chose you."

"Good morning, B," Chuck smiled as he tangled his fingers in her hair as he brought her lips back to his to give her a proper kiss.

"Good morning," she smiled back.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Very well," she nodded, "I was warm and cozy and so satisfied."

She heard Serena scoff at the notion.

"Are you hungry?"

"Famished," she nodded as she kissed his cheek before she took her seat next to him and helped herself to a pastry and some fresh fruit. "Serena, how did you sleep last night?"

"That bed is so comfortable," Serena replied, "Do you think the hotel would noticed if I stole it and brought it back to my mother's?"

"They might," Chuck chuckled, "Especially when you try to carry it through the lobby."

"Well, I'm not going back for a while, so…" Serena trailed off.

"Are we going to have our first houseguest as soon as we move into the manor?" Blair inquired.

"Would you mind? If you do, I would completely understand, but I'm not going back to my mother's right now."

"Dan has really upset you, hasn't he," Chuck replied.

"No Humphrey talk at the table," Blair chimed in, "His name is forbidden."

"At just the table or in general?" Chuck inquired.

"In general," both Blair and Serena replied.

"He is our stepbrother, Serena, we're not going to be able to avoid him forever," Chuck pointed out.

"I think I can manage for the next ten years," Serena replied.

"So what is on today's agenda?" Chuck inquired as he attempted to shift the conversation.

"Well, I was hoping that we could take a walk to the Conservatory Gardens and image what our big day is going to look like," Blair's eyes twinkled in excitement.

"Is your maid of honor allowed to tag along or is this a groom and bride only thing?" Serena inquired.

"What do you think, Groom, should the maid of honor join us?" Blair inquired, as she polished off her breakfast in record time.

"I'll leave that decision up to you, Bride," he chuckled as he stood up and kissed the top of her head. "I have a bit of business to take care of this morning before I can devote my attentions solely to you."

"And my maid of honor," Blair chimed in.

"He's like a whole new Chuck," Serena observed as he disappeared from the room.

"Not in certain areas," Blair giggled.

"Changing subjects, the gardens are going to take a few hours at most. What else would you like to do today?"

"I suppose we should see how all of the wedding arrangements are coming. Chuck hired a handful of wedding planners to get this wedding to come together on time, but I haven't even met them. I'd better stay on top of things or this wedding could end up turning tacky, and I cannot tolerate that," Blair replied.

"Yes, that would be horrible," Serena laughed, "Because Blair Waldorf is anything but tacky."

"I can't believe this is really happening," Blair beamed, "I'm marrying the man that I've loved for what feels like all of my life in less than two weeks. We're buying a home together. We're building a life together. I'm so happy that I nauseate myself."

"You deserve it, B," Serena replied, "And for some reason, I think the two of you will defy all the odds and make this work."

"I think so too," Blair replied, "We've gone through so much just to be together. We still have things to work through, but I really think the truly bad stuff is behind us."

"He told me about his diagnosis," Serena spoke softly.

"Really," Blair responded in surprise.

"Is it really going to be as easy as taking a pill everyday to keep things under control?" Serena inquired.

"I honestly don't know," Blair admitted, "We haven't taken the time to really learn what this diagnosis means, but we will. Perhaps after the wedding."

"Can you really afford to wait?" Serena pressed, "Shouldn't this be something that you attack as soon as possible?"

Blair huffed in response. Serena was right, and she hated that. This diagnosis was going to be a significant part of his life, perhaps for the rest of his life. They'd been on a honeymoon of sorts, but now that they were back in the real world. They had to face this illness head on.

"Perhaps we should head to the library after our garden tour," Blair proposed.

"Looking for reading material for the honeymoon?" Chuck laughed as he returned to the dining room to hear the tail end of the conversation in which Blair mentioned the library.

"Honeymoon!" Blair gasped in surprise, "Are we going to have one?"

"Yeah, didn't you two just get back from a tropical getaway? I know you two are insatiable sexual creatures, but isn't that overkill even for you?" Serena chimed in.

"Perhaps we'll put off having the honeymoon for a little while," Chuck conceded, "But we will have one eventually."

"Any reason for a tropical getaway," Serena sighed, "I wish I had someone to whisk me away to some exotic location at moment's notice."

"Perhaps Carter is lurking around some corner," Blair teased, "Maybe you could convince him to take you away for a vacation."

"With what money?" Chuck inquired, "His trust fund is frozen because he refuses to play by his family's rules. I don't see that changing anytime soon."

"Maybe Serena could convince him to play nice for awhile," Blair offered.

"Carter Baizen is the last person that I want to go on another whirlwind holiday with. He brings nothing but destruction wherever he goes. Just ask the Buckley family," Serena hissed.

"Well Dan isn't an option anymore, and Nate seems otherwise engaged with that cougar," Blair stated, "I guess you'll have to look outside our close circle. Maybe Chuck should have a bachelor party that you and I can crash. I can steal the groom, and you can stay and flirt."

"That's not a bad idea," Serena mused, "Perhaps I could jump out of the cake like they did in that old Gene Kelly musical."

"You'll have to learn to do the Charleston if you're going to do the little dance that went along with it," Chuck laughed.

"You aren't funny, Chuck," Serena glared at him.

"I beg to differ," he continued to chuckle as he looked towards his fiancée to see her snickering as well, "I think I'm hysterical, and Blair thinks I'm hysterical as well."

"How about a little female solidarity, B?" Serena frowned her displeasure.

"I'm sorry," Blair bit her lip to keep her laughter at bay.

"If we're going to see the gardens in daylight, you'd better get dolled up," Chuck kissed Blair's shoulder as he urged her towards their bedroom to dress for the day.

"Come pick out what I should wear," Blair requested as she pulled him along with her when he seemed intent on returning to the breakfast table for another espresso, "We should coordinate."

"Ick," Serena cringed as Chuck followed Blair out of the room, "You're not fooling me. I know you're going to have sex. Couldn't you just pull him into the bedroom and do it without broadcasting it?"

"We need to get her a boyfriend," Chuck laughed as he followed Blair along as he listened to Serena's rant.

"Or at least a good one night stand," Blair laughed along with him as she pulled him into the bedroom and pushed him onto the bed, "I'm sure it's been awhile since she had some, and it's been a few hours since I did as well. I think you should correct that."

"As you wish my queen," he chuckled as he lifted her nightgown over her head and pulled her to the bed.

* * *

"Are you two done groping each other yet?" Serena stood indignantly before her best friend. It had been her idea to go through a mock ceremony in the Conservatory Gardens. She'd played the minister and walked them through a ridiculous set of vows that had the trio doubled over in laughter. She'd made the mistake of pronouncing them husband and wife and instructed Chuck to kiss his bride. They'd been lip locked ever since. Now their hands were starting to drift into highly inappropriate territory. "If your hands roam further south, you're going to get yourselves arrested."

"A few more minutes, Mom," Chuck mumbled against Blair's lips. A giggle bubbled up from Blair's lips before she deepened her kiss as her tongue dueled once more with his.

Serena screeched in annoyance as she turned around abruptly and left the pair standing in the middle of the garden. Moments later she returned with a bottle of water purchased from a conveniently located street vendor and dumped it over their heads.

"Serena, what's the matter with you?" Blair exclaimed as Chuck began dabbing at the droplets of water that clung to her face.

"You need to cool off," Serena responded calmly.

"And you look just as beautiful wet as you do dry," Chuck added as he kissed her cheek.

"You, I can believe," Blair caressed Chuck's face affectionately before she turned to scowl at her best friend, "You, I can't believe. My own best friend tries to drown me in the very spot where I am to be married in just a few short weeks."

"Aren't you being a little overdramatic?" Serena rolled her eyes as she held up the bottle in her hand, "It was one bottle of water, and it's not even half empty."

"Just for that, you're not invited to lunch," Blair turned away from her best friend abruptly and stormed off.

"Come on, B, don't be such a spoilsport," Serena called after her.

"Coming, Chuck?" Blair turned around to address him when she realized he was not at her side where he was supposed to be.

"Blair, I think you are overreacting," Chuck spoke gently but firmly as he approached her. He bowed his head to whisper in her ear, "Is this one of those pregnancy mood swings we read about?"

Before he could react, Blair slapped in right across the face and then stormed off.

"I guess so," Chuck told himself as he rubbed his cheek as he watched her nearly sprint away.

"That's PMS if I've ever seen it," Serena announced as she handed Chuck the cool bottle of water to press to his face.

"Care for lunch?" Chuck offered as the cool bottle calmed his enflamed skin.

"If you're buying, absolutely, but won't that just make her more angry?" Serena inquired.

"I'll defuse the Waldorf Bomb when I get back to the suite," Chuck assured her.

"Are you sure you want to leave her ticking for that long?" Serena eyed him skeptically, "Isn't it easier to defuse with the less time she has to stew?"

"That's not always the case, and I'd rather not risk her current wrath," he shook his head, "I only have a few cheeks remaining for her to assault."

* * *

"Blair, Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Eleanor inquired as her daughter burst into her office in tears.

"I slapped Chuck," Blair cried out as she ran into her mother's arms, "I don't know what happened. One minute I was mad at Serena, and then Chuck made a comment about me having a pregnancy mood swing. I just hauled off and hit him. I had no right to do that. He's never going to forgive me, let alone marry me."

"Oh, Sweetie, it's not as bad as you think," her mother stroked her hair as she tried to soothe her, "When I was pregnant with you, I lost count of how many times I insulted your father and slapped him and cursed his very name. It's the hormones."

"What if he can't forgive me? What if I've ruined everything? What if he never wants to see me or our child ever again?"

"You're talking nonsense," Eleanor replied, "Charles loves you."

"Every time we try to make things work, we find ways so that it won't," Blair stated, "I can't take anymore failed attempts. We're having a baby together. I won't put a child through what I went through."

"There are no guarantees in this world," Eleanor stated, "But one thing that I've come to realize about your relationship with Charles is that you two won't give up without exhausting all options. He didn't give up on you when you were engaged to another man."

"But I gave up on him," Blair admitted tearfully, "I was engaged to another man."

"But your heart has always belonged to him," Eleanor added, "I will always support whatever decisions that you make, but I felt that you were making a mistake with Louis. I almost cheered when Chuck crashed your party and proposed, and so did Cyrus, Roman, and especially your father."

"Agreeing to marry Louis was one of the biggest mistakes of my life," Blair sobbed against her mother's shoulder, "I don't know how I will ever make that up to Chuck."

"Sweetheart, he loves you. There is no need to make anything up to him," Eleanor assured her.

"He didn't come after me," Blair sniffled, "When I hit him and stormed off, he was supposed to come after me. Why didn't he come after me?"

"Because I figured you would want to cool off," Chuck stated as he announced his presence. The sight of her in her mother's arms, sobbing almost to the point of hysterics tore at his heart. "I'm so sorry, Blair. I should have known better."

Blair flung her arms around him as soon as he was close enough as she buried her face in his chest. "I'm so sorry, Chuck. I shouldn't have hit you, and I shouldn't have agreed to marry another man. Mostly I'm sorry that I gave up on you when you never gave up on me."

"I gave up on myself," Chuck whispered, "You were only trying to find happiness."

"I love you," she proclaimed.

"I love you too," he replied as he kissed her forehead before he began to dry her tears.

"I'm such a mess right now," she stated as she tried to clean off the mascara streaks covering her face, of all days to forgo waterproof mascara.

"A beautiful mess," he assured her as he pulled out his handkerchief and began wiping at the tears that had begun to dry.

"I don't know what came over me," she replied.

"It's the pregnancy hormones," Eleanor chimed in, "They make you do and say crazy things."

"So this is going to become a regular occurrence," Blair frowned as she was able to make out the faint handprint on Chuck's cheek. She reached out to caress him affectionately. "My handprint could become permanent."

"A small price to pay," Chuck assured her as he covered her hand with him as he turned to kiss the inside of her palm.

"How did you know to find me here anyways?" Blair inquired.

"I made a few calls. You weren't in the obvious places, so I dove into the less obvious ones. Eleanor's loft was the second on that list. When I called you weren't here, but Eleanor's trusty assistant called me the moment you arrived. Lucky for me, I was just around the block," he explained.

"Am I really that obvious?" she frowned.

"No, I'm that lucky," he smiled.

"I'm a little hungry," she admitted.

"You haven't eaten?"

"No," she shook her head, "I wandered around Central Park for awhile and then caught a cab here."

"You shouldn't be wandering around by yourself, especially now," Chuck stated, "What if you were mugged or mowed down by a jogger or…"

"Stop," Blair pressed her fingers to his lips, "I did just fine by myself."

"I don't want you walking the streets of New York City by yourself anymore," Chuck scolded her.

"Chuck, I did just fine. If you don't want a handprint on your other cheek to match the one I gave you earlier, you'd better stop this overprotective nonsense right this minute," she cautioned him as she caressed his uninjured cheek in warning.

"I'm not going to apologize for worrying about you, especially now," he replied as he kissed her forehead.

"My being pregnant does not give you license to hover, stalk or otherwise insert your over protectiveness into my everyday activities," she warned him.

"So the private security guard that I've hired to follow you around is out of the question," he frowned.

"You didn't seriously hire such a person, did you?" she eyed him curiously.

"Let's have lunch," he quickly changed the subject, "Eleanor, would you like to join us?"

"I think I just might have to," Eleanor looked at the pair in amusement as Blair began to fiddle with Chuck's tie, working the knot tighter. "Sweetheart, choking your fiancé so close to the wedding day might not be so wise."

"She's right," Blair replied as she loosened the knot as her eyes began to glimmer in amusement, "I'll wait until after the wedding. My inheritance will be increased exponentially."

"I never pegged you for a black widow," Chuck laughed in amusement.

"Buy us lunch," Blair demanded as she tangled her arm with her mother's as she gave him a menacing stare.

"Your chariot awaits," Chuck replied.

* * *

"Chuck," Blair cooed sweetly as she batted her eyelashes in his direction. After having lunch with her mother, the day had gone much smoother. She hadn't had any more emotional outbursts.

"I know those lashes, what's wrong?" Chuck groaned with dread.

"I think I'm having one of those pregnancy food cravings," she explained as she toyed with the button on his crisp dress shirt as they curled up on the sofa. He was engrossed in a Bass Industries business proposal for a new hotel they were renovating.

"Just call room service," he told her, "They're under strict instructions to cater to your every wish and desire."

"I don't want room service to cater to my wishes and desires. I want my fiancé, future husband, and father of my child to do that," she told him.

"You want me to call room service for you?" he lifted a curious eyebrow.

"No, I want you to make the effort of getting the treats for me," she corrected him.

"What are these cravings that you're having?" he inquired as he closed his manila folder.

"I want a hot dog from Central Park with a side of white asparagus and maple syrup," she replied.

"If I go get you the hot dog from Central Park, can we compromise on calling room service for the white asparagus and maple syrup?" he inquired.

"Yes," she nodded.

"I'll be back as soon as humanly possible," he assured her as he kissed her forehead before he detangled himself from her.

"I love you," Blair called after him as he stepped onto the elevator as Serena was stepping off.

"Hey, B, where is Chuck going?"

"I sent him on a mission to get dinner. I was craving a hot dog from one of those Central Park street vendors," Blair explained.

"Aw, that's so sweet," Serena replied, "I want someone that can do that for me."

"We've been through this once already today," Blair reminded her.

"I know," Serena sighed, "But I'm no closer now than I was this morning, and I spent all afternoon trying to get the attention of this lacrosse player friend of Nate's and nothing. Is there something wrong with me?"

"Maybe you aren't flashing enough cleavage today," Blair suggested as she looked at her friend's relatively conservative ensemble, "You covering two of your best assets, not wise."

"Is that all I am, blonde hair, long legs, big breasts?"

"At first glance, yes," Blair replied, "But once anyone gets to know you as I do, they'll see what I do. Do you want a little free advice?"

"Considering that you're the one that is getting married to the love of your life, yes any advice would be appreciated," Serena responded as she plopped herself down next to her friend.

"You shared a long history with both Nate and Dan and haven't been able to make either of those relationships work. I think you and I can agree that those are the two best relationships you've ever had," Blair began.

"Is the advice coming soon?" Serena glared at her.

"Maybe it's time to find someone with less baggage, maybe an Average Joe that is outside our social circle, outside our zip code, heck perhaps even outside our state," Blair suggested, "Maybe you need to find something that has ever heard of Serena van der Woodsen."

"You're about to marry a man that we've both known for most of our lives with the most baggage you could find, and you're telling me to find someone with less baggage. B, that doesn't make any sense."

"Chuck and I are different. What we have is complicated. We've tested each other in ways that should have crushed us both. It's a type of love I wouldn't recommend to anyone but the two of us," Blair explained, "I love Chuck more than anything, and I will stand by him through anything, but not everyone is strong enough to exist in this type of relationship. You need to find out who you are and what you are looking for in your ideal mate."

"I suppose you make some sense," she replied, "I'm going to go read some Harlequin novels and take notes."

"Throw in a few Jane Austen novels for good measure," Blair added, "Relationships aren't all steam and sex."

"Not that you would know because that's three-quarters of your relationship with Chuck," Serena replied as she disappeared into her bedroom.

"So true," Blair thought to herself, "These pregnancy cravings have turned me into a sexual deviant, and Daddy is only too happy to satisfy them. We're very lucky, Little One."

Minutes later Chuck returned with a box of hot dogs.

"Did you buy out the entire food cart?" Blair chuckled as he set the hot dogs before her.

"I forgot to ask what you wanted on your hot dogs so I thought it best to provide options," he explained as she looked through each wrapped hot dog until she found one that looked appealing. "Ketchup, mustard and fried onions, I must admit I'm a little surprised, almost as much by the fact that you actually wanted a hot dog. Have you ever eaten one before?"

"Daddy and I used to get them all the time when I was younger," Blair explained with her mouth full, "And they taste as wonderful as I remember. Do you want a bite?"

"I'll wait until your craving has been satisfied, and then I'll have whatever you don't want," he replied.

"And if I eat them all?" she inquired as she finished the first hot dog in record fashion.

"I'm entering you in the next hot dog eating contest at Coney Island," he smirked.

Blair glared at him as she went to work on the second hot dog.

"Are you still wanting that white asparagus and maple syrup?" he inquired.

"Maybe later," Blair responded after gulping down another bite.

"These pregnancy cravings could end up being wildly entertaining," he whispered into her ear as he stepped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she continued on with her feast.

"I have other cravings too," Blair reminded him.

"Those I know I can satisfy," he whispered seductively as he nipped at her neck as she continued eating.

"Ack, get a room," Serena groaned as she appeared as her nose sniffed out the hot dogs to find Chuck nearly mauling Blair despite her apparent interest in her meal.

"I believe we are letting you stay here out of the goodness of our heart. I'll enjoy my fiancé wherever I please," Chuck informed his freaked out sister, "If you have a problem with it, wear a blindfold."

"Why do I smell hot dogs?" Serena inquired.

"We had a craving," Chuck chimed in.

"Oh, god, they smell good," Serena continued to sniff them out, "I always crave these sort of things when I'm PMSing. Can I have one?"

"Knock yourself out," Blair replied as she held up the box.

"B, I didn't even know you liked hot dogs. If I didn't know better I'd swear you were pregnant," Serena replied as she chose one from the box and disappeared back into her bedroom.

"I think we're going to have to be more careful with your food cravings until we've spilled our beans," Chuck shook his head in bewilderment, "She's not the most observant, but she could stumble upon the truth."

"She already did and doesn't know it," Blair smirked.

"Are you still wanting that white asparagus and maple syrup?" he inquired.

"Are you crazy? That sounds disgusting!" Blair gasped.

"It didn't about thirty minutes ago," he reminded her as he kissed the tip of her nose.

"These food cravings are going to be embarrassing," she sighed as he caressed her stomach, "Will you do me a favor and not let me eat anything too weird?"

"I promise not to let you eat anything too exotic," he replied.

"Exotic, I'm not worried about," she replied, "I just don't want to eat anything buggy or slimy or gooey."

"I'll keep that in mind," he nodded as his hand slipped under her blouse as he continued to rub her stomach.

"Do you realize that since I told you I was pregnant you have been rubbing my stomach constantly?" she inquired as she placed her hand over his to still his actions.

"I'm sorry, does it bother you?" he asked as he pulled his hand away quickly.

"No," she shook her hand as she brought his hand back to her stomach, "Oddly enough, it's such the turn on."

"For me too," he smiled, "You may not be looking forward to it, but I cannot wait to see you with a belly bump. You're going to be the most beautiful pregnant woman."

"The belly bump I can handle," she replied, "But I can do without the hemorrhoids, swollen ankles and gas."

"I'll find it all incredibly sexy," he vowed.

"It's so sweet of you to say so, but I don't believe you."

"Do I get points for trying?" he inquired.

"We'll see," she replied as her head rested in the crook of his neck.

"Did you get enough to eat?"

"Yes," she nodded, "My belly is sufficiently full. That craving has passed, but I have another."

"Pickles and ice cream?" he inquired.

"No, this is more of a physical craving," she shook her head.

"I think I can handle this one," he told her as he carried her off to bed.

**TBC. . .**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Posted as an alternative to tonight's episode. Enjoy.**

"Queen B at the library," a voice taunted Blair as she sat quietly pouring over medical textbooks, "Something is out of place here."

"Yes, you," Blair responded with annoyance, "Go away, Georgina,"

"What exactly are you hoping to find?" Georgina inquired as she turned over several of the medical textbooks, "Trying to diagnose your own neurosis?"

"Yours actually," Blair replied, "I'm torn between dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia. I'll let you pick."

"Doesn't the blushing bride have better things to do with her time than read from silly textbooks . . . unless perhaps you really are researching your own neurosis," Georgina eyed Blair curiously, "Is that why the prince dumped you and you latched on to Chuckie so quickly, and then just up and disappeared for a few weeks?"

"You caught me. There never was a prince," Blair responded without missing a beat, "I made him up in my head and got everyone to believe my sad little story, even Chuck. I twisted everything around to get him to propose to me, and it worked like a charm. I have to keep up the charade. I'm here doing the necessary research, so I can keep perpetuating this lie until I get that big, fat Bass ring on my finger and then bleed him dry. Oh wait, that's what you would do or already did."

"Fine, don't tell me," Georgina shrugged, "I'll figure it out, and when I do I'll make sure that its during the most inconvenient time for you."

"Good luck with that," Blair replied as she snatched the book out of Georgina's hand and added it to the stack on the table that she had already arranged.

"Hey, B, are you almost ready to go?" Serena inquired as she found Blair returning her books to the librarian's desk, "You should see the romantic novel selection they had. I could have spent days just reading through all the titles."

"Trashy romance novels, sounds appropriate for the Madam of the Upper East Side. You know that Hollywood madam made a boatload of money selling her story. You should do the same. Perhaps one day you'll be able to buy a full dress," Georgina replied as she observed the high cut and ample cleavage put on display by Serena's wardrobe choice that day.

"I will after you," Serena rolled her eyes in reply, "After all, you taught me everything I know."

Georgina left in a huff, upset that her appearance didn't have the desired effect on either woman.

"Are we going to have to send her to bible school again?" Serena inquired as she handed the librarian the stack of books she intended to check out.

"I wouldn't punish religious people with that," Blair scoffed as she motioned towards Georgina who was doing her best to make as much noise and disturb as many people as she possibly could.

"So what are we going to do about her?" Serena pressed.

"Ignore her," Blair replied, "There isn't anything that she can do that will wreck my current happy existence."

"This is Georgina, Blair," Serena reminded her, "She's her own one woman wrecking crew."

"It's ten days until the wedding," Blair stated, "Let her take her best shot, but the wedding will proceed as planned. I guarantee it."

"For the record, I'm worried," Serena stated.

"Noted," Blair replied, "Now let's go shopping so I can honestly tell Chuck that we spent the day shopping like we had planned."

"You were the one that got sidetracked by the library that we passed by," Serena pointed out.

"You're the one leaving with a humongous stack of trashy romance novels," Blair responded with an eye glanced towards the books.

"I wouldn't call 'Madam Bovary' trash," Serena stated defensively as she held up the classic novel.

"I stand corrected," Blair replied as she took the book out of her friend's hand, "Can I read this when you're done?"

"Yeah, if you check it out yourself," Serena replied as she snatched the book out of Blair's hand and returned it to her pile.

* * *

"Chuck, will you talk some sense into your fiancée?" Serena demanded as she and Blair returned to the suite loaded down with their purchases from their afternoon of shopping.

"That depends on what type of sense I'm expected to talk her into," Chuck replied as he began to unload Blair of her shopping bags after greeting her with a kiss.

"We ran into the Spawn of Satan this morning at the library. I think she's fishing around and up to her usual no good. Blair's not worried," Serena explained, "I know for a fact that Georgina is bored with her life. You need to be on my side here because she's going to try and cause trouble for the two of you."

"You're really not worried?" Chuck inquired as he eyed Blair skeptically, "Have you forgotten all the ways that we plotted against her? Of course she's going to be looking for payback at some point."

"Let her try," Blair stated confidently, "No matter what she tries to do, we are getting married in ten days."

"We have skeletons in our closet, Blair," he reminded her, "Things that neither of us would like to get out."

"Like what?" she challenged him.

"My diagnosis," Chuck responded quickly as his eyes narrowed.

"Oh," Blair sighed, "I guess I didn't think about that. I didn't really see that as a secret that we are keeping."

"It's not as if it's a national secret, but I'm not intending to broadcast it. We live a high profile life, full of labels beyond the designers on our clothes. Bipolar is not a label I intend to wear," he explained, "I'd prefer to keep this between us and our family and close friends."

"You're right," Blair replied, "There are certain things that could be used as ammunition for Georgina, but I still don't see much point in worrying about her. Beyond her stalking us, there isn't any way that she'd find out."

"This is Georgina," Serena chimed in, "She's not above stalking or even breaking into the office of Chuck's doctor if it means getting some usable dirt on the two of you."

"Then we'll just have to get our own usable dirt on her," Blair replied, "And Chuck happens to employ one of the best private investigators in all of New York. Getting dirt on someone as filthy as her should not be that hard."

"Now will you let me hire a bodyguard for you?" he inquired.

"You are being ridiculous," she told him as she patted his cheek a few times in warning, "No bodyguard."

Chuck growled in displeasure as his forehead pressed against hers.

"The concern is touching," she told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "You are getting so many bonus points for trying."

"I don't want bonus points," he told her as she molded herself against his body.

"Are you sure?" she smirked as she fiddled with his tie, "They buy certain things that I know you like."

"Ugh, get a room," Serena rolled her eyes as she disappeared into her room with her purchases and stack of books on loan from the library. She had no intention of leaving her room for the rest of the afternoon or evening. She could already tell that Chuck and Blair were in one of their moods.

"How was your day?" Blair inquired as they retired to their bedroom, "Did things go okay with your therapist?"

"About as well as it could go," he sighed, "I'm still crazy."

"You're not crazy," she scolded him, "Did you pick up that literature like I asked you to?"

"Yes," he nodded towards the bed where the pile of pamphlets were laid out for her to view.

"Thank you," she stated sweetly as she skipped towards them.

"Blair, hold on a minute." Something Serena said earlier suddenly clinked in his head. "Why were you and Serena at the library?"

"What?" Blair inquired as she spun towards him with one of the pamphlets regarding his illness in her hands. "What a weird question to ask?"

"Serena said that you ran into Georgina at the library. What were you doing in the library? You're not enrolled in Columbia this semester, so there is no reason that I know of that would put you there."

"I wanted to read up some more on my pregnancy," she tried to cover.

"With Serena nearby, no chance," he scoffed, "How about we go with the truth? It's obvious from your attempts to dodge the question that you think whatever it is that you were up to will upset me, so let's just avoid the dance and get on with the argument. It will make the sex hotter anyways."

"I was reading about your disease," she explained, "I'm so in the dark about this. I wanted … needed to know more so that I can be prepared. I didn't plan on going to the library when Serena and I left this morning, but when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. I'm not even going to apologize if it upsets you because now I feel better informed, better prepared. You made it sound like these pills that you take are the magical cure all of this disease, but they're not. You can still have episodes."

"I can still have episodes," he conceded.

"You knew that," she concluded, "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you make me think that as long as you take your medication each day that you'll be just fine?"

"Because that is what I am wishing for," he slumped against the bed, "I have hurt you in every conceivable way. I know what risks these episodes pose to you. I almost forced myself on you. I put my hand threw a glass window. I beat up my best friend. The entire world would be justified in turning their back on me, yet here you stand ready to tackle this with such determination. Why are you doing this? Why are you subjecting yourself to this?"

"Because I love you," she stated simply as she crossed the room to stand before him, caressing his face gently, "Whatever the risks, I'm willing to face them because this man that is standing before me right now is the man that I fell in love with."

"Why is it so damn simple?" he groaned in frustration, "We have both made this relationship so frustratingly complicated. How can it now be so simple as that we love each other? That wasn't enough before."

"It is now," she replied, "We thought it was supposed to be more complicated, but we were wrong. We're going to have our ups and downs. Surely somewhere along the way we'll end up hating each other again, but that does not mean I will ever give up on you or us."

"What if we fail?" he choked out.

"Then we'll do it in spectacular fashion," she replied as her arms wrapped around his neck, "Because I will not let you go without a hell of a lot of fire and brimstone."

Chuck's lips crashed against hers with such force that she knew her lips would be swollen the next day. She didn't care. All she cared about was the man in her arms as they began stripping away their clothes of the day.

**TBC. . .**

**So I hope the build up to this chapter was worth the wait.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Can someone please explain what is going on with Chuck this season? First Evelyn is Chuck's mom, and she died giving birth to him. Then his mother is Elizabeth Fisher, and she sold him out by giving his hotel to Jack. Now his mother is Diane, and she slept with his best friend and doesn't know who his father is. On top of all of that, the love of his life got married to some prince, got that annulled and then started dating some guy from Brooklyn. I think it's safe to say the show has jumped the shark. My only reason to tune in is the hope that my Chair is going to find their way back to each other. Wishful thinking?**

**Rant over – Enjoy.**

"I have a bump," Blair insisted as she lay in bed with Chuck, who was squinting his eyes, straining to see what she saw.

"Blair, I don't see anything," Chuck replied, his eyes softening.

"It's a bump, I have a bump," she pouted as she pointed to her stomach with fingers from both hands.

"I think you're becoming paranoid and imagining it," he told her as his hand trailed down her abdomen as he nuzzled her neck.

"I am not," she insisted as she brushed his hand away. If he wasn't going to see what she saw, she didn't want him touching her.

"You're not even three months pregnant," he reminded her, "It's too soon."

"No, it's not," she insisted, "We are a week away from our wedding. My mother and I have prepared my dress for this specific reason. I have a bump."

"We're still nine days away from the wedding," he chuckled, "Which is more than a week away."

"Nine days, seven days, it's two days difference, certainly not enough to make a difference in this discussion. I have a bump."

"This is by far the stupidest conversation we will have today," he grumbled, "Blair, I know every inch of your body by heart. I know when you're retaining water or when you've put on a bit of winter weight simply by touch. There is no bump."

"I have gained weight, you know," she replied, "I stepped on the scale before I went to bed last night. I've gained five pounds."

"That doesn't mean they've all settled in your abdomen," he replied, "In fact, I'd wager that one, maybe two of those pounds settled in your chests. They are looking a little more amble than usual."

"Be serious," she scolded him.

"And even if those other three pounds settle at your stomach, that'd not enough to produce the bump that you're suggesting," he told her.

"I have a bump. I want a bump, so I have a bump," she held firm.

Chuck's face froze at her proclamation. Her words tumbled around in his head for a moment. He'd been operating under the assumption that she didn't want to have a baby bump this soon, simply because of the potential issue it caused with her wedding dress.

"You want a bump," he repeated.

"Yes," she insisted, "I like the idea of a baby bump because then I have the reminder of the life you and I are starting together."

"The food cravings and mood swings aren't enough?" he chuckled.

"I wanted a couple of hot dogs and suddenly you think I'm out of control with food cravings," she sighed, "Those cravings are mild compared to some of the random foods Dorota ate during her first pregnancy."

"Something to look forward to," he chuckled.

"So now that you know that I want a baby bump, does that change your answer?" she inquired.

"No," he shook his head, "Because you don't have a bump. Even if you do, which you don't, it's an infinitesimal amount, certainly nothing visible to the naked eye."

"You are such a buzz kill," she rolled her eyes as she rolled out of bed.

"That's not what Nathaniel has said all these years. In fact, quite the opposite, he said he always got the best buzzes being around me," he chuckled as he followed her into the bathroom where she was drawing herself a bath to start her day properly, "Isn't it easier to keep our secret if we're not explaining this fictitious bump you think you have?"

"It's not fictitious," she insisted as she picked up a bar of soap to throw in his direction, "And as you just said the bump is barely noticeable, so who would ask?"

"So you're conceding to the fact that this bump you think you have isn't noticeable," he smirked.

"It's barely noticeable," she corrected him, "Only to those that are privileged enough to see me in the full state of undress. That is a list of two people, you and me, so only you and me should be able to see it, but apparently only one of us can."

"Maybe you see the bump because you're the one carrying our child," he offered up an olive branch, "You feel your body changing, so it would make sense that you see the minuscule changes when I can't."

"That's a weak argument," she replied.

"But one that I'm sticking with."

"You are right about one thing," Blair stated as she slipped into the tub, "This is without a doubt the stupidest argument we will be having today because I'm right and you're wrong, which makes this whole argument pointless."

"Is there room for two?" he inquired as he bent over the tub and grabbed a handful of suds and piled them on her nose.

"No," she shook her head as she stuck out her lip in a delicious pout.

"If I lie and say I see the bump, will you let me in?"

"No," she continued to shake her head, "Because now I know you're lying."

"Come on, Beautiful, I'll wash your back," he turned on the charm.

"No," she repeated, "I don't want to share a bathtub with someone that is mocking my baby bump."

"I never mocked your baby bump."

"You're questioning its existence, same thing," she replied as she motioned him away, "Now leave me to enjoy my bubble bath."

"I love you," he stated as he brushed his lips against hers.

"I love you too," she smiled as she motioned him away a second time, "Now leave."

* * *

"Charles, this is a surprise," Lily smiled as she greeted her son with a hug.

"I was hoping we could have that discussion that I cut short the other night," he explained his surprise appearance.

"You're seeking me out for a conversation," she eyed him skeptically, "Forgive me for not believing that is your only motive."

"Chuck, what a surprise," Rufus greeted Chuck with a handshake, "Lil, did you know he was coming?"

"I'm as surprised as you," Lily smiled.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Chuck cleared his throat nervously.

"Nonsense, we're never too busy for our children," Lily assured him. There was a nervous pause in the conversation as Chuck looked between Lily and Rufus.

Rufus read the silence perfectly and quickly excused himself.

"Come, we'll have more privacy in my office," Lily threaded her arm through his as she led him up the staircase to her office. Once they were seated, Lily asked, "So, where would you like to start today?"

"I want to do something special for Blair," he began, "I want to give her something."

"You don't need my permission for that," Lily responded as she eyed him curiously, "Unless you want my opinion."

"Actually, I need access to your safe," Chuck replied, "We both know that is were Bart left his most cherished possessions. I never asked for any of them because I had no use for them."

"You want your mother's earrings," Lily guessed.

"If that's okay with you," Chuck stated. It suddenly occurred to him that perhaps Bart had given them to Lily during their courtship.

"Of course," Lily replied as she punched in the access code into the keypad. With a click, the door opened. Lily rifled through the vault's contents until she found the box he was asking for. "Your father would be so proud and happy for you right now, if he was here."

"Fathering a child out of wedlock, trading the love of my life to my uncle for a hotel, deflowering my stepmother's stepdaughter, stealing the fiancée of a prince, yes, there is so much to be proud of," he grumbled.

"We both know that none of that would have happened had he been alive," Lily replied as she rubbed his shoulder as she handed him the box.

He peered inside the box and admired the modest silver design. "They were her favorite," Chuck replied as he traced the unusual apple shape. "Bart bought them for her just before they moved to Manhattan. They didn't have that much money back then, but he had this vision that he needed to be in New York City to build his empire. He said that she had complete faith in him and would follow him wherever he needed to be. She wore the earrings religiously for the first year. After that first year, his empire exploded and he started showering her with jewelry, but she wore them every year on their anniversary."

"Bart never told me any of this," Lily replied, "He just said to make sure that if anything ever happened to him that I should make sure that you had them."

"He probably doesn't remember telling me," Chuck sighed, "He pulled the earrings out on their anniversary every year and then would proceed to drown his sorrows with a good bottle of whiskey. One year, I caught him two thirds of the way through."

"I didn't know your father drank whiskey; I always thought his drink of choice was scotch, like you," Lily replied.

"As his fortune grew, his taste for scotch grew with it," Chuck explained, "He always saw whiskey as the drink of those less fortunate. I have no idea why he thought that. It might be because it was his old man's drink, and he never had more than two coins to rub together."

"You know far more about your father's past than I've ever given you credit for," Lily replied.

"Whiskey removed his inhibitions. Had I asked the right questions, he probably would have told me anything I asked," Chuck paused for a few moments to look at the earrings again. "I should have known Elizabeth was an imposter. My mother would never have given up these earrings."

"She fooled us all, perhaps even herself," Lily replied as she caressed his shoulder.

"Blair and I talked more about my diagnosis," he confessed.

"That's good," Lily replied, "You should keep talking about it, keep talking until you both know everything there is to know, and even then you should still talk about it."

"I'm afraid I'm going to hurt her again," he admitted, "I don't trust myself not to hurt her."

"That is what the medication that you're taking is supposed to prevent," Lily reminded him.

"It's not the cure all, Lily," he snapped in frustration, "I can still have manic and depressive episodes. All the medication is supposed to do is make them less severe. Even now I could be in a manic state and not even know it. What if Blair fell in love with my manic state?"

"You are more than this disease," Lily told him, "Manic episodes, depressive episodes, and everything in between, you are still you. Blair fell in love with you, all of you. Is life going to be smooth sailing? Probably not. We are all going to be here to help you through this, that includes me and especially Blair."

"I don't understand how everyone can just look past this."

"Because we love you," Lily explained.

"But why?" he demanded, "Nobody has to, yet why have you chosen to?"

"Because you are an amazing person with an enormous capacity for love," Lily replied, "You just needed someone to pull that out of you."

"Blair," he smiled.

"Blair," Lily agreed. "Speaking of Blair, how are the wedding preparations coming along?"

"Thanks to the army of wedding coordinators that I hired, all that remains are Blair and Serena's dress fittings," Chuck smiled.

"And her pregnancy, how is that going? Any morning sickness yet?"

"None that I'm aware of," he replied, "We argued this morning about her belly bump. She insists she has one. I don't see it. I'm confident that I'm right, but I'm not going to change her mind. To keep the peace, I won't comment further until there is a noticeable bump to comment on."

"Wise man," Lily chuckled, "If you have any questions, I'm always available, no matter the time of day."

"I know," he nodded, "Thank you."

"It's what mothers do," she smiled as she hugged him.

**TBC. . .**

**I know this is a bit fluffy, but after suffering through last night's episode I think we can all use it.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**I don't do this nearly as much as I should, so got to give Lori2279, my beta, props for helping me edit all these chapters and for putting up with my completely random questions. Thanks Lori!**

"Congratulations, Mister Bass, you are how the proud owner of your very own home," the realtor stated as Chuck signed his name one last time to finalize the purchase. She appeared more relieved by the news than he did. Likely she was relieved that his wire transfer appeared to go through without any trouble, and she was in for a fat payday.

"Thank you," Chuck replied as he looked toward Blair who was smiling from ear to ear as he handed her the key to their new home, "Shall we go take a peek?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely yes," she nodded as she snatched the key out of his hand.

"Is there anything else?" Chuck looked towards the realtor for any further business that needed to be conducted.

"Nothing else," she assured him.

"Let's be on our way then," he replied as he offered Blair his arms.

As they rode along the familiar city streets, Blair was chatting happily about all the plans she had for decorating their home. From the sounds of it, the first room she wanted to tackle was the nursery. He listened to her in rapt amusement. Her eyes were twinkling. Her entire body seemed to radiate happiness. He loved knowing that he was responsible for that.

"Do you want to know if we're having a boy or girl before the baby is born?" she asked suddenly as she caressed her still nonexistent belly.

"I'll let you make that decision. If you want to know, then we'll know. If you don't, we'll wait until the baby is born," he replied.

"That's such a cop out," she smiled, "I was hoping that you'd have an opinion in this matter because I keep vacillating between wanting to know and wanting to wait."

"Honestly, I haven't given it much thought," he admitted.

"You haven't thought about it, why not?" she pouted as she extended her bottom lip.

"We've been a little busy, Love," he reminded her as he tapped her lip with his finger.

"We haven't been that busy," she huffed, "Have you at least thought about if you want a boy or a girl?"

"I haven't gotten to the point where I prefer one over the other," he replied, "I've imagined it both ways. There is something wonderful in having either. If we had a little girl, you could dress her up in those cute little outfits you used to wear. If we had a boy, I could teach him how to tie a bow tie and how to pull off pink and purple without getting beaten up."

"How did you manage that all these years?" she inquired as she ran her fingers rhythmically through the hair at the nape of his neck.

"The trick is to wear them confidently," he smirked, "It always helped to have a stunning beauty on each arm. No one is going to mess with a man with a bevy of beauties falling at his feet."

"Basstard," she scoffed as she backhanded his shoulder with her hand as he snorted with laughter.

"I love that I can still get a rise out of you like that," he chuckled as he brought his hand to the nape of her neck and forcefully brought her lips to his.

"Jealousy does not become me," she informed him.

"On the contrary, the flush of red currently on your cheeks is quite becoming," he smirked as he nibbled at her lips, "But I'll chance the subject if you'd like."

"I'd like," she nodded.

"Which room in our new home are you wanting to christen first?" he cocked a suggestive eyebrow in her direction, "Shall we start in the master suite?"

"Too obvious," she sighed, "And we don't even have a bed yet."

"Which can be quickly rectified," he assured her as he pulled out his phone with the intent of ordering the best bed in production and have it delivered within the hour.

"Easy there, Tiger," she chuckled as she snatched the phone out of his hand, "You don't just buy a bed by phone, you have test them first to make sure they have the proper support. We'll go bed shopping this afternoon. Back to the christening, how about we start at the bottom and work our way to the top?"

"Start with the staff quarters then," he chuckled, "I love how your mind works."

"We should get that room out of the way before we hire ourselves a housekeeper," she nodded.

"Perhaps we can hire Dorota away from your mother," he suggested, "Eleanor and Cyrus aren't around nearly as much as they used to be. She could end up being mighty lonely in that penthouse all by herself."

"I couldn't ask her to be responsible for a five story brownstone mansion when she's pregnant with her second child," Blair replied, "As tempting an idea as it is, no, we should find someone that is up to the challenge. Though it will be impossible to replace her, we will find a suitable alternative."

He nodded in agreement.

The limo came to a sudden halt. Blair turned suddenly to see their front steps. She pushed the door open with the giddiness of a little schoolgirl before Arthur had a chance to put the vehicle in park.

"Blair, wait," Chuck called after her as she flew up the limestone steps.

Forgetting the door was likely locked, she turned the knob. When it wouldn't give, she stomped her foot in frustration and began searching her pockets, forgetting where she had put the key after snatching it out of Chuck's hand at the realtor's office. Her hesitation allowed Chuck to catch up. His hand slipped into the one pocket she hadn't had the opportunity to check and produced the key. Quickly snatching it from him, she jammed it into the lock and turned it. She was about to step in when she felt Chuck sweeping her off her feet. She squealed with delight as her arms wrapped around his neck. As he crossed the threshold, his lips were on hers.

"For good luck," he smiled as he pecked at her lips again before he returned her to her feet.

"This home seems so much larger without any furniture to speak of," Blair replied as her voice echoed through the halls. Her eyes began darting back and forth as she continued to hear her voice carry. "We need to fix that because listening to my voice carry is going to get extremely annoying."

"And make it hard to track you down when I need to find you," he chuckled as his hands closed around her hips as they began walking through empty room after empty room, "Could I persuade you to wear a bell?"

"Forget it," she turned her head slightly to glare at him, "I'm not going to be your pet."

"How about I wear the bell?" he chuckled before he whispered seductively in her ear, "And nothing else."

"I think I could enjoy that," she smiled as he swept her hair away from her neck and lightly pecked at her nape.

"Yes, you will," he whispered darkly against her ear.

"We'd better find that staff quarters before we take this any farther," she stated as she spun around in his arm.

"First I want to hear your plans for renovations," Chuck told her.

"Chuck, we're about to christen our new home, the place where we'll live for quite possibly the rest of our lives. Are renovation plans really what you're wanting to talk about right at this moment?"

"If we're going to move in a week's time, there really isn't a moment to waste," he pointed out.

"I think we can spare twenty minutes or so," she replied as she grabbed a hold of his tie and pulled him in the direction of the staff quarters.

* * *

"Serena," Blair called out for her best friend as she and Chuck returned to their Plaza Suite after spending a few hours in their new home christening various rooms and then nearly getting kicked out of the furniture store while shopping for a bed when their test run became a little too inappropriate for the other patrons, "We're back."

"She's not here," Chuck informed her as he kissed her shoulder softly, "I asked Eleanor if it was okay for her to stay at the penthouse tonight. I was hoping to spend one last night in this suite with just you."

"Last night," she repeated in surprise, "Chuck, aside from the bed we ordered and will have delivered tomorrow, our home is completely unfurnished. We're not going to be sleeping there."

"You are correct in that you won't be sleeping there, but I will be," he stated.

"What! Why!" she exclaimed.

"There is a tradition that the groom and bride should not be cohabitating prior to their marriage. We've bucked enough of tradition as it is. I thought it best not to tempt fate any further," he explained.

"I don't care about tradition," she frowned, "I like waking up each morning with you lying next to me."

"And a week from today, I will be lying next to you for the rest of our lives," he assured her, "But for the next week, we can spend as much time together as you'd like during the day, but at bedtime I will be making the short trek to our home and sleeping there."

"Where did you come up with this asinine idea? Did Nate come up with this? This has Nate written all over it," she railed.

"Nathaniel had nothing to do with it. I thought it up all on my own. There is no outside influences coming in to play," he assured her.

"Then we need to have your head examined because this is quite possibly the worst idea you've had. Isn't this something that we should have discussed before a final decision was made?"

"Perhaps I shouldn't have sprung it on you in this way, and yes, we should have discussed it before I made the decision, but the end result would be the same. I'm staying in the manor tonight and through the next week starting tomorrow," he held firm.

"You're being irrational," she snapped, "There is nothing to be gained by you sleeping away from me…" A sickening thought suddenly took up residence in the pit of her stomach, "… unless you are getting sick of me. That's it, isn't it, you're getting sick of me? We've been together nearly night and day since we became engaged that you're feeling suffocated and need your space."

"I'm not sick of you," he stated as he took her in his arms despite her attempting to struggle from his grasp, "My motivates for this are pure. I want to do what is right by you – us. Our lives are rapidly changing in the next week. We're going to be husband and wife. Shortly after that, we're going to be announcing that we're having a baby. Everything is happening at such a rapid pace, we both need time to process all of this, and when we're together our focus is on other things, physical things. Think about this carefully, have you had a moment to yourself since we became engaged?"

Blair wouldn't dignify his answer with a response. She could feel the anger causing her blood to boil. She was so angry should couldn't even speak if she wanted to. This man could infuriate her like no one else ever could.

"We need to give our minds a chance to catch up before we make our relationship permanent," he told her.

"Get out," she demanded.

"What!" he exclaimed.

"I don't want to see you right now. You need to leave," Blair demanded.

"Blair," he tried to dissuade her.

"Leave right now before I do or say something that I'll regret," she snarled.

Chuck looked into her eyes to see they were black with rage. There was no calming her in this moment. He knew for her benefit and for that of their unborn child he had to leave, but each step towards the elevator felt like a knife stabbing him in the heart.

* * *

"Where is Arthur?" Chuck inquired. He was glaring at an unfamiliar driver that was standing in front of an equally unfamiliar limo. He hadn't even been thinking about the fact that he'd approved his driver's night off.

"He had personal business that he needed to attend to," the nervous driver stammered out as he opened the door.

Chuck barked the address to his brownstone mansion. Unfamiliar with Chuck's mood swings, the driver decided the best course of action was to get his boss to his destination as soon as possible when Arthur would have driven around the city for a while to allow Chuck a chance to cool off. Cutting through Central Park seemed like the best option, driving at a speed that would allow him to safely stop for any pedestrians that happened to veer into their path, but not enough for the family of raccoons that we crossing the street.

Chuck was irritated and annoyed as he sat in the back of the limo. He didn't know what to do with his rage. He hadn't felt this out of control in months. He felt the car swerving every now and then as the silhouettes of pedestrians flashed in the windows. That only added to his annoyance. His eyes began searching the limo for something, anything, anything that would allow him to escape the feelings that he was currently having. He realized he wasn't irritated or annoyed, he was scared, scared that Blair was going to call off the wedding and turn her back on him once more. The minibar came into view. Just as he reached towards it to pour himself a glass of scotch, he heard the screeching of tires. Suddenly his world went black.

**TBC. . .**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**The outpouring of concern for the welfare of Chuck and Blair has inspired me to post this chapter quickly. On behalf of Blair and Chuck, I appreciate the support. Thank you.**

Blair was tossing and turning, in a fitful sleep caused by her argument with Chuck. She regretted asking him to leave the moment that he stepped into the elevator, but her pride wouldn't allow her to reach out to him and assure him that she loved him and that everything was going to be all right.

Her phone began ringing at midnight. She thought it would be Chuck, so she eagerly checked the caller ID. She was extremely disappointed to find that it was Serena, so she ignored it. Every five minutes, like clockwork, the phone came to life. She didn't want to deal with her flighty best friend's latest crisis, so she turned her phone off. Then the suite's phone began to ring, so she disconnected the cord.

"Blair, wake up," Serena shook her awake. It was a few hours later, closer to three in the morning. Blair was still tossing and turning.

"Go away, Serena," Blair buried her head under the pillow to block the rays of light that were filtering in from the hallway.

"Blair, you have to wake up," Serena insisted, "You have to come with me to the hospital. There's been an accident."

"What!" Blair exclaimed as her eyes shot open as she bolted upright. "Who?"

"Its Chuck," Serena choked out, "His driver was taking him through Central Park. We don't know how or why, but he lost control."

"Is Chuck alright?" Blair inquired, her voice thick with nervousness that quickly settled into the pit of her stomach. Serena wouldn't be here if he only had a few minor bumps and bruises.

"We don't really know," Serena replied, "There were injuries, but we haven't been able to get any straight answers from the doctors. It wasn't Arthur driving, and his replacement matches Chuck's description. All we know is that one of them has several bumps and bruises and a pretty twisted up ankle, a possible concussion and is talking nonsensical things. The other is unconscious with internal bleeding."

"What are we waiting for?" Blair inquired as she got out of bed with a flash, as she slipped into her slippers. She nearly tripped over the length of the silk pajamas she was wearing as she darted towards the elevator, Chuck's silk pajamas. Serena had to run to keep up with her as she flew towards through the hallway, gathering her purse as she dashed into the elevator.

Stepping out of the elevator, Blair hollered across the lobby for the bellman to get her a taxi. When the taxi wasn't waiting outside as she had demanded, she reprimanded the entire bell stand in a rant fit for a queen.

"B, take a deep breath," Serena tried to calm her down just as the cab pulled up to a stop in front of the hotel. The cab had clearly been meant for another hotel patron, but Blair wasn't going to wait for another car as she charged forward and slid in.

"Oh, god, this can't be happening," Blair began to rock back and forth in the back of the cab as Serena gave the driver the destination, "We're getting married in less than a week. Things were finally being set right. We just closed on our home. We've only managed to christen a few of the rooms. We've barely begun talking about decorating. We're still working on the nursery designs. Oh god, he has to be all right. S, please, tell me he's going to be all right."

"It's going to be okay, B," Serena hugged her close as she tried to comfort her hysterical friend, "He's going to be just fine. He has to be. You don't deserve this kind of pain."

* * *

"Where is he?" Blair demanded as she burst into the waiting room on the edge of hysterics.

"Blair, we're still waiting for news," Lily stated as she went to embrace her son's fiancée.

"That's not good enough," Blair snapped, "I'm getting married in six days, whether he's unconscious or not. Someone needs to tell me right now what is going on before I lose my temper."

"Blair, calm down," Lily whispered in her ear, "You are not helping anyone if you get yourself too worked up. This isn't healthy for you or the baby."

At those words, Blair crumbled in Lily's arms. "This has to be a bad dream. Someone please tell me this is a bad dream. Someone please wake me up and tell me this is just a horrible dream. Please, Chuck, wake me up and tell me that everything will be okay."

"Everything is going to be okay," Lily tried to calm Blair down.

"This is all my fault," Blair sobbed as she began swaying in Lily's arms, "We had a stupid fight. I got mad and sent him away. He wouldn't have been in the limo if it wasn't for me. I didn't even tell him that I loved him when he left. He has to know that I love him."

"He knows," Lily whispered in her ear as she continued rocking her soon to be daughter-in-law, "I promise you that he knows."

"Make him be okay, Lily, please," Blair pleaded with her.

The hearts of all their family and friends broke at the sight of Blair pleaded for Chuck's safety. They each wanted to console her, but they all knew the only thing that could was Chuck. They watched the pair for several minutes as Blair continued to plead with Lily. There wasn't a dry eye in the waiting room.

"All this fuss for a driver that she's never even met," Chuck limped into the waiting area dressed in a hospital gown.

"Chuck," Blair gasped as she ran into his arms. She didn't care that she heard him wincing in pain as she hugged him with all her might, "Oh, thank god, you're alright."

"I'm fine," he assured her, "I'm going to be just fine. A few bruised ribs, some bumps and bruises, a high ankle sprain and a mild concussion, but I'm going to be just fine."

"Chuck, should you be out of bed?" Serena inquired.

"I heard Blair's voice," he replied as Blair buried her head in his chest as she sobbed, this time in relief, "Waldorf, it carries through that long corridor that I came down. I'm very impressed."

"Shut up," Blair muttered into his chest, "Just shut up and keep holding me."

"I'm sorry I worried you," he whispered as his arms tightened around her as much as he could tolerate. "I kept asking for my phone so that I could call you, but that only made them think I was crazy because I was so obsessed with my phone after being involved in a car accident, especially when I demanded that someone go back to the scene of the accident and find it after they rifled through my clothes without turning it up."

"Yes, that is the definition of crazy," Serena chimed in.

"Charles, I'm going to insist that you go back to bed," Lily chimed in as she caressed his shoulder.

"Join me," Chuck whispered in Blair's ear.

"Of course," she nodded slightly as she coaxed his lips to hers as her fingers ran through the hair at the nape of his neck. His forehead came to rest against hers. "Thank god, you're okay."

"The doctors might disagree, but I will be just fine," he assured her.

"Charles, are we going to need to postpone the wedding to give you time to recuperate?" Lily inquired as Blair's face buried in his chest again.

"No," Chuck replied as he felt Blair shaking her head against his chest, "I'm sure I'll be fine after a few days of convalescing that is if I get the proper care from an attentive nurse."

Blair's fist pounded into his chest in scolded which caused him to groan in pain. "Did I mention the bruised ribs?"

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"To bed, now," Lily insisted as she motioned Chuck back towards his room.

"Yes, Mother," Chuck smiled as he bent in to kiss Lily's cheek before he offered Blair his hand.

"Don't worry, Lily, I will take excellent care of him," Blair assured her soon to be mother-in-law as she took Chuck's hand.

"I wasn't worried for a moment," Lily replied.

"Lead the way," Blair smiled adorningly at Chuck.

"That wasn't a sight I was ever wanting to see," Serena gasped as she averted her eyes upon seeing the back of Chuck's gown open and realizing she had a view of his bare posterior.

Nate couldn't resist the urge to let out a cat call whistle which earned him a disapproving glare from Blair.

"Lay down," Blair demanded as she pushed on Chuck's shoulder as he climbed in to bed once back in his private room. She quickly fluffed his pillow as he laid back and then found any other way she could think of to fuss over him.

"Come here," he requested as he grasped her hand and pulled her towards the bed.

"No," she shook her head, "You need to rest. No nocturnal activities for you."

"You need your rest, too," he pointed out as he pulled her arm again in hopes of convincing her to climb in next to him.

"For a few minutes," she conceded as she kicked off her slippers and climbed into bed next to him as he slid over to make room, "At least until you fall asleep."

"I'm sorry about the fight we had earlier," he apologized as she settled against his chest, her ear hovering over his heart so she could heart its steady beat. She needed the sound to sooth her still frazzled nerves.

"Me too," she sighed, "I think my emotions – hormones got the best of me. I shouldn't have asked you to leave, not like that."

"I'm not going to lie, that hurt, a lot."

"I know," she replied, "But it hurt me when I thought you didn't want to spend the last few nights leading up to our wedding together. Even though you think you were trying to be noble, that's not how I heard it. Are you sure that you're ready to get married in six days?"

"I know that I want to be your husband in six days," he told her.

"But," she prompted him.

"But I don't know if I can be the husband that you deserve," he admitted.

"We're going around in circles," she sighed in frustration. "Whatever you think I deserve doesn't matter. Get it through that incredibly thick skull – I want you. I love you. I want to have a family with you."

"I still ask why."

"So do I, especially when you're being such a big pain in the ass, like you're being right now," she replied, "But that doesn't change the fact that I love you. So find a way to deal with it, because we are getting married in six days, whether you like it or not."

"I like it," he assured her, "I like it a lot. Nothing is going to stop me from marrying you. If I have to be wheeled down the aisle in this bed, I will still find a way to say I do."

"Don't ever do something like this to me again," she scolded him.

"I will do my best," he replied as she burrowed a little closer to him, molding herself against his body. "I almost took a drink tonight."

"What stopped you?" she inquired as she felt the exhaustion start to pull at her. She couldn't even work up the energy to be angry about his most recent revelation.

"The accident," he replied, "I was pouring myself a drink when I heard the tires squeal and then everything went black."

"We're going to be okay, aren't we, Chuck? We're going to be able to put this little bump in the road aside and move forward, aren't we?"

"Yes," he whispered, "Get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning."

"I love you," she mumbled.

"I love you too," he sighed happily as he heard her breathing even out as she fell into a deep sleep.

**TBC. . .**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**To those of you who have reviewed, thank you so, so much. **

**I'm going to admit, I was pretty bummed about the lack of reviews for the last chapter, but since there are a few of you that seemed to still be enjoying it I will press on. **

**Enjoy.**

"Is Chuck being a model patient?" Serena inquired as she and Blair had their final dress fitting a few days before the wedding at Eleanor's design studio.

"God no," Blair groaned in annoyance from inside the dressing room where she was slipping into her dress.

Chuck had been discharged from the hospital the day after his accident. Blair had taken him back to The Plaza, despite Lily's offer to have him stay with her. He hadn't been at all cooperative with the orders the doctors have given him. Serena wisely had stayed with Eleanor.

The driver of Chuck's vehicle that evening was in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery, but the limo from that evening was a complete loss.

"He's supposed to be off his feet as much as possible to let his ankle heal, but he's up and around every time I turn my back. I had to handcuff him to the bed yesterday to keep him from getting up, yet he still found a way to get out of bed."

"If you were using his handcuffs, of course, he was able to get free," Serena chuckled.

"Thankfully the bruises on his face have gone down so he won't ruin the wedding pictures, but it won't be just the bride and maid of honor wearing makeup," Blair chuckled as she emerged from the dressing room with her back towards her best friend, "S, I need you to hook me in."

Serena dutifully hooked and buttoned her dress up and then Blair spun around so that everyone in the room could catch the full effect of Blair's dress. The loft went silent.

"What's wrong?" Blair panicked as she turned towards the mirror to try figuring out why no one was speaking, thinking perhaps the dress was revealing to all her slight baby bump.

"Blair, you look beautiful," her mother proclaimed as she dabbed at her eyes with the tissue her assistant was handing to her.

"We should try the veil," her assistant chimed in when everyone else's voice began to falter again.

"Charles sent over your tiara," Eleanor nodded, "So we'll get the full effect today."

Eleanor and her assistant put on a pair of cotton white gloves before they took the ornamental box out of the loft's safe. Serena gasped in delight as the tiara was lifted from the box. Blair felt the tears sting her eyes as the memory of the night Chuck had given her the tiara flooded back.

After a bit of fussing with the silk tulle, Eleanor was able to incorporate the veil into Blair's tiara before she crowned her daughter. When Blair turned towards the mirrors again, everyone was speechless, including Blair. Tears tumbled down her cheeks as the reality set in. She was really going to marry Chuck.

"Is using the word perfection too much of an understatement?" Eleanor inquired as she hugged her daughter.

"Thank you, Mother, for designing this perfect gown," Blair stated as she tried to reign in her emotions.

"It's not the design, Sweetheart," Eleanor snuffled as she dabbed at her eyes again, "It's the beautiful woman in the gown.

Blair's fragile hold on her emotions came to a shattering halt as the tears flooded down her cheeks.

"You'd better get all the tears out today," Serena chimed in, "Because on Wedding Day if those tears ruin your makeup, the people Chuck hired for you are going to be less than thrilled."

Blair chuckled lightly as she accepted the tissue Eleanor's assistant was handing her and began mopping up the tears that had been shed.

"Can I just wear this for the next seventy-two hours?" Blair inquired as she did a full three hundred and sixty degree turn to admire every angle of her dress.

"You could, but then you wouldn't be able to see your fiancé," Serena pointed out, "And we've already discovered that a few hours apart can have life and death consequences."

"Too soon," Blair scowled at her best friend's attempt to make a joke of the accident a few evenings ago.

"Agreed," Serena nodded as she pulled out her phone. Before Blair could protest, she snapped a picture.

"If that picture makes its way to Chuck, I'm getting married without a maid of honor," Blair warned her.

"Give me a little credit," Serena replied as she admired the picture and then tucked her phone away before Blair had any thought of confiscating her treasured communication device. "This is just for me to show Lily. She was so upset that she couldn't make it to this final fitting. I promised to get her a picture."

"Serena, Dear, please tell your mother that she was missed," Eleanor chimed in.

"I will," Serena nodded.

"And her mother of the groom dress has been pressed and is ready for her to pick up any time she is available to swing by," Eleanor added.

"You're designing Lily's dress for the wedding," Blair stated in surprise.

"Didn't you know, I've become the official designer for this wedding," Eleanor chuckled, "Not only am I designing for the bride, the maid of honor, the mother of the groom, and of course the mother of the bride, anyone that is attending this wedding is asking for one of my designs to wear on your big day. Sweetheart, this wedding has been very big for my business."

"Glad we could help," Blair laughed as she turned her back to her mother to be unhooked, "Could you undo me? I have to be back at The Plaza in thirty minutes to get Chuck. We have doctors' appointments that we can't miss, and then we're meeting with our interior designer. They are giving us a tour of the renovations that have already been completely."

"Already?" Serena responded in surprise. "You just closed on the place a few days ago. How are renovations already completed?"

"Chuck has hired a crew to work around the clock so that we can begin living there on our wedding night," Blair explained, "Certain parts of the manor will be under construction for awhile, but our bedroom and bathroom will be fully operational that very night."

"That's probably all that you're going to need for the first month or so anyway," Serena conceded, "Will you let me know when one of the guest rooms is available so that I can move in? Chuck's promised that I can stay at The Plaza on his dime for as long as I want, but only in a standard room."

"The nerve," Blair chuckled as she disappeared into the dressing room to change.

* * *

"So, how was it?" Blair inquired as Chuck joined Blair in the waiting room after his most recent therapy session. His eyes were dark, and he had his displeased scowl on his face. She didn't need to wait for his response. "That bad, huh."

"Maybe therapy isn't for everyone," he growled as he offered her his arm as they left the waiting area. "Maybe the medication can just be enough for me."

"That's not an option, and you know it," she scolded him as they stepped into the elevator.

"I never leave my therapist's office with any sense of accomplishment. Instead I feel as though I've been put through the wringer. Every choice that I've ever made in my life is being scrutinized and judge and deemed to be the wrong one," he ranted. "Bart was more supportive than this miscreant."

"I think you need to find a different therapist," Blair stated as they walked through the lobby, or rather Chuck limped, "Sounds like this therapist is doing more harm than good. A good therapist should support you and help you make good decisions. If this therapist isn't doing anything aside from cutting you down, then it's a good idea to find a therapist that works for you. Just because the Ostroff Center matched you with this therapist after your initial diagnosis was made does not mean that you have to stick with him now."

"You make an excellent point," he replied as he held the door open for her as they stepped out into the street. There was mild annoyance that the limo was not waiting for them.

"Take a deep breath," Blair replied to calm him down when she witnessed his nostrils flair in annoyance, "Arthur already feels guilty enough about the role he played in your accident. If you chastise him any further, he's going to wet himself. We should look at this from a positive perspective. Because he had personal business to attend to, he took the sacred limo with him, so it wasn't our limo that played chicken with the light pole. I, for one, would be saddened to lose that piece of our history."

"I would be too," he nodded as he kissed her lips softly just as the limo pulled up to the curb. Arthur was apologizing profusely for his delay as he stepped out of the limo and held the door open for them.

"Take me to lunch, Bass," Blair requested as she yanked him into the limo before he could scold his driver.

"Any requests?" he inquired.

"I'm thinking Mediterranean," she replied, "Amaranth, perhaps."

As Chuck gave Arthur their destination, his driver was still apologizing.

"Are you planning on letting him off the hook anytime soon?" Blair inquired as the car gently lurched forward.

"Perhaps after I stop limping or the ribs stop aching," he sighed as his fingers entwined with hers. "We haven't been able to make love since the afternoon before the accident. Of course I'm going to be a little . . ."

"Grumpy," she finished for him.

"Irritated," he corrected her, "I can't turn either direction without an enormous amount of pain. I certainly can't do the things that I want to you."

"It's only temporary," she told him, "And we found a way around that last night."

"Which isn't nearly as satisfying as the conventional way," he replied.

"Bite your tongue," she gasped, "Our love making is anything but conventional."

"What is wrong with conventional?" he chuckled.

"Conventional translates to boring," she explained as her head came to rest against his shoulder, "And making love with you is anything but boring."

"I'll agree that our love making is anything but boring, but conventional does not translate to boring," he told her, "And as much as I enjoyed the stimulation last night, that was a far cry from our usual workout."

"I know, but until we get clearance from your doctor that's going to have to hold you," she replied.

"Clearance or not, we are making love on our wedding night," he told her. There was no room for argument in his statement. She heard his stubbornness shine through and knew this wasn't the moment to argue with him.

"Are you excited for your bachelor party tonight?" she inquired.

"Let's see. No alcohol. No strippers or exotic dancers. No fiancée for an entire evening. What exactly is there that I'm supposed to look forward to?" he inquired.

"How about the part where I kidnap you, take you home, and play nursemaid for the night?" she cooed, "I've already purchased the outfit. I believe you will be very appreciative."

"Is Serena really planning on jumping out of the cake?" he chuckled.

"I've tried talking her out of it, but her mind is made up," she sighed, "She thinks that jumping out of a cake in a sparkly, little costume is going to facilitate her finding Mister Right."

"What's the harm in letting her have her fun?" he replied, "It's her humiliation, not yours."

"True, but Serena's methods of finding a suitable mate are questionable at best."

"Not everyone is lucky enough to find one's soul mate in the back of a limousine," he stated as his hand ran along her thigh, slowly inching the fabric up. The limo came to a sudden stop and earned a groan of disappointment from Blair as Arthur was more than efficient in opening the door for them. "We'll continue later if you'd like."

"I'd like," she whispered just before he untangled himself and stepped out of the limo. After buttoning his suit jacket, he offered her his hand and guided her into the restaurant.

* * *

"So how do I look?" Serena inquired as she fastened her garter belt to her stocking and then straightened up to give Blair the full effect of her costume.

"As usual, sex on a stick," Blair smiled as she looked to the hollowed out, cardboard cake a few steps away that Serena was about to climb into. "Are you sure this is a good idea? You have been known the get claustrophobic in small, enclosed spaces. They don't come smaller than that frilly little cake."

"I'll be fine," Serena assured her as she stepped towards the cake in her six-inch heels, "Hold the cake steady so that it doesn't roll away as I climb in."

"I hope one of the partygoers is feeling chivalrous when you pop out or you're going to fall on your face climbing out," Blair replied as Serena wobbled unsteadily as she climbed in, "I don't believe that's the impression you're looking for."

"Quit being such an old maid," Serena replied, "You were the one that stripped on stage for Chuck. This isn't much different."

"I beg to differ," Blair scoffed, "I started out fully clothed. When I was done, I was still in my slip."

"Until Chuck got a hold of you in his limo," Serena snickered.

"You're already showing all your splendor," Blair motioned towards the few scraps of fabric that Serena had squeezed herself into, "There is no mystery left to these boys' imaginations."

"You have your ways, and I have mine," Serena replied.

"And I'm the one getting married in two days," Blair pointed out.

"Fine, if this doesn't work, I'll start taking lessons at the Blair Waldorf Charm School," Serena stated, "I'll let you mold me into your very own dress up doll."

"Promise," Blair stated sweetly as she put the top on the cake and went to get the waitresses to wheel Serena out.

Blair waited patiently as Serena's selected performance music started. She knew instantly when Serena popped out of the cake by the sound of the male cheers. "So predictable," she shook her head in amusement as she waited a few minutes more to be sure that everyone's attentions were elsewhere.

As she stuck her head out, she could see Nate lashing out at Chuck because of his ex-girlfriend's inappropriate intrusion, and Chuck laughing at the obvious jealousy Nate was feeling towards the men drooling all over Serena.

Nate had organized a tasteful bachelor party. He was trying to be sensitive to Chuck's new lifestyle. There was no alcohol being served, no strippers to entertain the masses. Just multiple tables set up for various card games. Chuck had already won more than his fair share. In the interest of fairness, he held himself out of the most recent round. There was a haze of cigar smoke that filled the room. The excitement had been fairly mild until Serena blew her cake top.

"As her brother, you should put a stop to this," Nate grumbled, "Look at those guys with their hands all over her."

"There's one guy touching her, and he's helping her out of the cake," Chuck laughed, "They aren't tearing her clothes off."

"There isn't much to take off," Nate spit out, "Could she have worn any less?"

"We both know the answer to that question is a yes," Chuck continued to chortle, "Go stake your claim again if it bothers you so much"

"It doesn't bother me in that romantic type of way," Nate insisted, "It bothers me in that friend sort of way. We are still friends, remember?"

"Right," Chuck rolled his eyes. He knew it was only a matter of time before Nate and Serena circled around each other again. It was pride on both their parts that kept them apart, and of course Nate was still laying prey for the cougar. He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, and he felt like rejoicing as he knew without having to look that Blair was coming to his rescue.

"Ready to go?" Blair whispered in his ear as her arms came around his chest.

"You have no idea," Chuck replied as he caressed her forearms gently.

"Say your goodbyes. I'll be waiting in the limo," she nibbled at his ear.

"Forget the goodbyes, let's just disappear," he groaned as her hot breath tickled his ear.

"That's not very sporting of you," she whispered.

"I'll show you how sporting I can be after you've put on that little costume you promised," he chuckled.

"Chuck, it's time for you to make your speech," Nate turned towards his friend, only to find the spot next to him was suddenly vacant. "Chuck?" Chuck wasn't even a shadow in the room. He had just vanished, from his own bachelor party.

Blair and Chuck were laughing as they darted out of the club towards the limousine that was waiting.

"Nathaniel is going to be very upset with me," he chuckled as he pinned her against the limo as he waved Arthur back to the driver's seat.

"I could care less," she smirked as she bit at his Adam's apple, "You didn't want to be there anyways."

"Beside the point," he replied as he pressed against her a little firmer.

"If you take me home, I give you full permission to punish me as you see fit," she baited him.

"Let's go," he gave her a Cheshire grin, "I'm in the mood to dish out a little justice."

"As long as you follow the doctor's orders," she cautioned him. She earned a groan of disappointment. She patted his chest to provide comfort, "Soon, Lover, soon."

**TBC. . .**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Another great big thank you for those of you still with me here, and to my beta Lori2279, who is keeping me going.**

**I'm bumping up the rating here, just to be on the safe side. I hope no one minds.**

**Dare I dream that there is hope for my Chair on the show. Am I the only one that notices how much more enjoyable the show is when Blair and Chuck share a scheme?**

"Good morning, Serena, doing the walk of shame I see," Blair giggled as Serena came to the breakfast table to pour herself a desperately needed cup of coffee in the same trench coat she'd worn the previous evening to Chuck's bachelor party.

"How is it that I'm the one hung over after your bachelor party, and you're as fresh as a daisy?" Serena inquired as she smacked Chuck's shoulder.

"Ow," Chuck groaned as he lurched forward and jarred his bruised ribs, "Might I remind you that I was recently in a car accident."

"Oh, sorry," Serena mumbled as she took a painfully needed sip of her coffee.

"Did you have fun last night?" Blair prompted her.

"I honestly don't remember," Serena replied, "A few of the guys challenged me to do shots. I woke up on the sofa at Chuck's Empire suite. Nate must have brought me back to sober up before I could do something really embarrassing."

"Awe, he's such the gentleman," Blair sighed until she heard Chuck clear his throat, "With you anyways."

"B, you were right. Jumping out of the cake in slutty lingerie is not the way to attract the right kind of guy," Serena sighed, "I give up. It's time to enter Blair Waldorf Charm School."

"Blair Waldorf Charm School," Chuck laughed.

"I charmed you up, didn't I," Blair scowled at him.

"You certainly did," he smiled as he leaned over and kissed her lips.

"Thank god my stomach is empty," Serena choked on their display of affection.

"You'll have to wait until after the wedding and the afterglow of the wedding subsides," Blair informed Serena, "I think my schedule will be full for the next few weeks."

"Make it a month," Chuck winked.

"Read your paper," Serena scowled at him as she shoved the lasted copy of The New York Times in his direction.

"Chuck, turn to Page Six. I want to see what the gossips have to say about our wedding tomorrow," Blair bounced up and down in excitement.

Chuck dutifully turned to the necessary page. It took only a moment, but suddenly the paper was flying across the room just before he stormed out.

"What was that all about?" Serena inquired as Blair sat in stunned silence.

"The Post outed Chuck," Blair stated, "And me."

"What!" Serena exclaimed as she ran over to pick up the paper. There was a picture of the two of them taken the previous day outside the Ostroff Center with the headline that read "Two Crazy Lovebirds". The subheading explained that Chuck was bipolar and Blair was bulimic. "Oh my god! Who would do something like this?"

"It has to be Georgina," Blair stated.

"Sending the blast to Gossip Girl is one thing, but sending it to The Post is something else entirely!" Serena exclaimed in outrage. "We have to do something."

"I have to go find Chuck," Blair stated as she disappeared from the dining room to find her fiancé. She didn't have to go far. He was in their bedroom pacing. She stepped in slowly and waited for him to see her.

"They aren't going to get away with this," he announced as he finally acknowledged her presence. "It's one thing to out me, but you."

"Chuck, my battle with bulimia isn't exactly a well kept secret," she told him.

"You can't tell me that you're okay with the revelation," he growled.

"No, I'm not," she shook her head as tears tumbled down her cheeks, "I'm not okay with either revelation."

"This could ruin Bass Industries," he growled, "This could ruin me. Who is going to take me seriously in business negotiations now?"

"Chuck," Blair tried to offer up some words of encouragement.

"When I find out who sent this tip into that gossip rag, there is going to be hell to pay," he railed.

"I think we both know who is responsible," Blair stated.

Chuck stopped pacing for a few moments to give Blair's words serious thought.

"Saint Georgina," Chuck laughed bitterly. "That bitch is going down permanently."

"There is one thing that bothers me though," Blair stated, "She could have taken the picture and rifled through our therapists files, but how would she know we were there to begin with."

"This is Georgina," Chuck hissed, "We've already established that she's not above stalking us."

"Okay, so let's use this rage and take her down," Blair stated as she advanced towards him, "For once and for all."

"It's the day before our wedding, we should be focusing on our day," Chuck replied as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Celebrating the start of our new life together will be much sweeter knowing that Georgina will be no part of it, don't you think?" she smiled as he wiped the tears that she'd shed moments earlier.

"I actually have the necessary ammunition," Chuck stated, "I hesitated in using it because it's pretty big and our rivalry had always been played out before Gossip Girl, but since she's upped the ante, it's time to lay it all out."

"Don't keep me in suspense," Blair replied, "What's the dirt?"

"You've heard of Bernie Madoff, right?"

"The ponzi scheme guy?" Blair nodded, "Of course, one of Daddy's bank accounts was frozen temporarily because of him."

"Georgina's little hubby's scheme is just as big and just as dirty. The FBI have been after him for months looking for the one thing to tie it all together. I happen to have just what they need," he explained as he pulled out his phone and made the call.

* * *

The day passed by on fast forward. Chuck had to turn over his documents and sign a sworn statement as to how he came by the information. In between all the legal proceedings, Blair and Chuck tried to fit in their pre wedding day preparations.

"Where's the groom?" Serena asked nervously as all their friends and family sat in the back room of the restaurant Blair had chosen for the groom's dinner. "He is coming, isn't he?"

"Yes," Blair laughed, "He had a little business to take care of that's making him a little late is all it is."

"So he still doesn't have cold feet?" Serena replied, "How is that possible? With what happened this morning, I thought he'd be running as far away as possible."

"He's angry," Blair nodded, "But he's focused."

"I have a contact that The Post that told me that the tip came from the email of none other than…" Serena stated.

"Georgina?" Blair inquired.

"Yeah, your hunch from earlier was correct," Serena nodded, "I told you she was up to something."

"And I was a fool for not listening," Blair admitted, "But we're handling it."

"Do I want to know?" Serena inquired.

"I think it's best to keep you out of it," Blair stated, "Let Chuck do the dirty work on this one."

"Blair, please tell me Chuck's coming," Nate interrupted their conversation, "The natives are getting a little worried that we might have a runaway groom on our hands."

"He's taking care of some last minute business…" Blair trailed off when Dan appeared.

"You are not welcome here," Serena stepped forward before anyone else could gather their wits, "You've been uninvited, remember."

"Serena, I asked him to come," Rufus chimed in, "I told him to do the right thing for Blair and their friendship."

"You," Blair suddenly put the missing piece of her puzzle together, "You told Georgina where we would be. That's how she got the picture of us yesterday."

"What? How could I possibly know you would be outside the Ostroff Center?" Dan scoffed, "I didn't know anything about Chuck's diagnosis."

"But you knew about mine," Blair stated coolly.

"I would never betray your confidence like that," he insisted.

"You would if you thought it would stop me from making what you felt was the biggest mistake of my life," Blair stated.

"And you did know that Chuck had an appointment yesterday," Rufus chimed in as he took his seat. It looked to everyone like his legs had suddenly gave way. "You heard Lily mention it to me when you came over for breakfast. I didn't think you would understand what she was saying. I should have realized."

"I did it to protect you," Dan address Blair, his voice shaky with panic and desperation, "I never thought Georgina was going to publish that in The Post. It was supposed to go on Gossip Girl. It was supposed to stop the wedding. That's all. It was supposed to give you enough time to see who it was that you're really marrying."

"You know what," Blair threw up her hands in exasperation, "I'm so over all of this. All of this manipulation, all these secrets, all this gossip, it has gotten us nowhere. All it has ever done is cause us all an enormous amount of pain and have us turn on each other." She reached out for her purse and grabbed her cellphone, throwing in to the ground and shattering it to pieces. "I'm done with it. No more Gossip Girl." She walked with determination towards Dan. "Dan, you'd better cross that famed bridge back to Brooklyn one final time and stay there."

"Blair, come on…" Dan began.

"You'd better go," Nate stepped in between them, glaring at his friend in such distain that he didn't know he had in him. "You don't belong here."

"Nate," Dan tried.

"You intentionally hurt and humiliated my best friend the day before what is supposed to be the happiest day of his life," Nate gritted out. "It's taking every inch of self restraint that I have not to pound on you, but it's Blair and Chuck's party and they don't deserve the scene. Leave now."

Dan sulked away as Rufus went to follow, stopping in front of Blair to apologize. "Blair, I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Blair assured him, "We all have blinders when it comes to those that we love. You don't need to leave, Rufus. You are Lily's husband, which makes you Chuck's stepfather. Please stay."

"Blair's right," Chuck came to Blair's side. He hadn't a clue what was happening, but he was always going to support Blair and her decisions. He whispered in her ear, "What am I missing?"

"I'll catch you up later," she replied as she kissed his cheek in greeting.

"Good, because we have a lot to discuss," he replied as he kissed her forehead before he turned his attention to Rufus, "Please stay. We are going to be one big dysfunctional family. We might as well start now."

Rufus nodded as he extended his hand to Chuck before he returned to his seat next to Lily.

"Now that we have a groom, we'd better start with the speeches," Serena chimed in, "I'll be starting."

"This should be interesting," Chuck replied as he pulled Blair towards their place at the head of the table.

"I'll save the sentimental speech for tomorrow, but for tonight I'm going to be giving Chuck some lessons as to how to survive a lifetime with his blushing bride. As we all know, she does have her quirks and is a little, how shall we say this, high maintenance," Serena began.

"Hey!" Blair exclaimed.

"Lesson number one, never touch anything on her vanity," Serena began as Chuck pressed a finger to Blair's lips to silence her outrage, "We all know that Blair needs all the cosmetics that she can get her hands on." Laughter erupted from all of those at the tables.

"Lesson number two, no matter how much she asks for the truth, your answer should always be 'No, that dress does not make your butt look big'," Serena continued on as she looked at her note cards.

"Serena, you're fired as my maid of honor. I'm in need of a new best friend," Blair stuck out her lip to pout.

"Lesson number three, don't ever try on her Jimmy Choos or Manolo Blahniks. That will open an entirely new can of worms," Serena stated as she looked nervously to see how Blair's father and his lover would take her joke. To her great relief, they were chuckling along with everyone else. "Besides, they'd stretch out and that is such a waste of finely crafted shoes."

"Agreed," Eleanor chimed in.

"Lesson number four, when she asks for the credit card, just hand it over. We all know she's going to get it from you anyways, so save yourself the time and effort because you'll make her late for one of our epic shopping expeditions," Serena stated to more laughter.

"And finally, last but certainly not least, lesson number five, love and cherish her always," Serena stated sweetly. There was a chorus of 'ah's from everyone at the table. "Because she'll castrate you in your sleep if you don't."

"So true," Blair laughed as she kissed Chuck's cheek, before slapping his cheek lightly in warning.

"Wise words," Chuck lifted his glass of sparkling cider to Serena, "You had to get lucky once in your life."

"Alright, it's my turn," Nate spoke up after everyone took a sip from their glasses.

"This should be interesting," Blair whispered in Chuck's ear.

"Let me start off by saying that no one is as happy as I am that Blair is marrying Chuck tomorrow," he began, "Finally gets me completely off the hook."

"What is this, gang up on Blair day?" Blair threw up her hands in exasperation.

"All right, all right," Nate replied, "I'll stop picking on Blair. I'll turn my attention to Chuck. Ladies and Gentleman, what do I say about my best friend, Charles Bartholomew Bass?" Nate paused several moments for dramatic effect. "Blair, good luck."

The laughter began anew.

"But seriously, Chuck has turned into a pretty good guy. Gone is the guy that I went to when I needed to get my buzz on. Gone is the guy that taught me all I know about seducing the opposite sex as he'd regal me with stories of his numerous conquests."

"Didn't teach you nearly enough," Serena chimed in.

Nate paused to glare as Serena before he continued on. "Gone is the guy that used to say he cared about only three things, money, the pleasures money could buy him, and me. I have to say, I'm going to miss that guy." Nate bowed his head for a moment of silence as if he was giving Chuck's eulogy instead of a best man speech.

"I'm getting married, Archibald, I'm not dead," Chuck replied.

"Blair will take care of that soon enough," Nate grinned from ear to ear. "But seriously, the Chuck Bass from those crazy days is gone and in his place we now must embrace this new, yet in my opinion, unimproved Chuck Bass. Chuck, we've gone through a lot together. If anyone deserves a lifetime of misery and pain that Blair is sure to give, it's you. After all, you did steal her from me."

"Hey!" Blair exclaimed as everyone else raised their glass to toast the pair once again.

"Okay, okay, I believe it's my turn," Chuck stated as he rose from his chair as Blair sulked in her seat. "Now everyone has been piling on my beautiful bride and shame on them. Nate, Serena, you both should know by now that Blair has no sense of humor." Blair grabbed Chuck's thigh with her hand, pressing her perfectly manicured fingers into him to cause as much pain as she could. "Okay, okay," he laughed as he tried to pry her fingers away before he cleared his throat to restart his speech, "Tomorrow means a great deal to Blair and me. We have been through quite a lot over the years. We've had many ups and downs. We've pushed and pulled each other in the best and worst of ways.

"I was once the best man at my own father's wedding to the lovely Lily van der Bass-Humphrey and all the other names she's gone by over the years. As the best man, I was entrusted to give the best man speech. I found it odd that my father was giving me such an honor to speak about love when I had never been in love up to that point, or so I thought at the time. The night before the wedding, Blair graciously stayed up with me all evening to come up with a speech that express the feelings I'd never had."

"That's not what happened!" Blair exclaimed.

"Shhh, it sounds better than what we actually were doing," he held his finger to her lips.

"I despised you that night," she held firm.

"In any event, the speech that I'd prepared didn't have that personal touch, didn't pull at the heart strings, but as I began to speak I suddenly found inspiration. I found Blair, sitting a few tables away, in a frilly floral dress with an equally frilly, pink flower headband in her hair, and it hit me. I spoke about perseverance and never giving up on true love even when the object of affection is begging you to. I talked about forgiveness, and the gift of a second chance. I spoke about the women that I hoped I'd be lucky enough to find one day who would do for me what Lily did for my father, when in actuality I'd already found her. All my life, Blair has been there, she's been the yin to my yang. Everything good in me is inspired by her, even the speech that I spoke that night so many years ago and the one that I'm giving now. To the love of my life. To Blair."

"To Blair," everyone repeated as they raised their glasses to toast Chuck's bride as she rose from her chair to give him a passionate kiss.

"You're getting so lucky tonight," Nate quipped when the room quieted down enough for him to be heard. Blair threw her napkin at Nate, yet she didn't break their kiss.

"I love you," Blair smiled as she pulled away to look deep into his eyes.

"Blair, it's your turn," Serena chimed in.

"And follow that, absolutely not," Blair shook her head, "I should have gone after Nate. Not much to live up to there."

"Hey!" Nate exclaimed.

"All I want to say to everyone here with us tonight is thank you for always being there to support us, to mop away those tears when needed, to point us in the right direction, and when necessary to tell us to get our feet out of our mouths and heads out of our…"

"Keep it clean," Chuck covered her mouth.

"Backsides, I was going to say backsides," she insisted as she pushed his hand away.

"Sure you were," he chuckled.

"Anyways, Chuck and I had seriously talked about eloping. What stopped us was realizing that we wanted all of you there with us."

"That and she wanted to wear the gorgeous gown," Serena chimed in.

"And that was the other reason," Blair laughed before she gathered her thoughts to continue, "This isn't just a celebration of our love for each other, but a celebration for all of us as you all helped us get here. So I guess that is what I'm thanking you most for."

"To Blair and Chuck," Serena proposed.

"To Blair and Chuck," everyone repeated as they took their last sip before the servers brought out their meals.

* * *

"So what happened during your chat with the FBI?" Blair inquired as she began undressing for bed after they had returned to The Plaza when their dinner had concluded.

"Philip is in a lot of trouble," Chuck replied as he loosened his tie while simultaneously kicking off his dress shoes. "The authorities will be going through what I gave them tonight, present it to a judge to issue an arrest warrant. By this time tomorrow, he'll probably be someone's girlfriend in the city jail."

"And Georgina?" Blair inquired.

"Well, her bank accounts are going to be frozen. Mommy and Daddy won't be able to bail her out because they invested heavily in Philip's scheme, so their assets will be frozen as well. Plus there is that bit where the FBI thinks she might have had some involvement in the entire scheme," Chuck replied, "I think Georgina's life has gotten far less boring. She'll be working so hard keeping herself out of jail, we'll be able to live in peace for quite awhile. I have a few other cards to play when that dust settles, but I'm thinking that's at least five to ten years down the road."

"When the dust does settle, she's going to come after us with everything she has," Blair pointed out.

"She'll try," Chuck nodded, "But I plan on living a life above reproach from this moment forward. After all, I have quite a bit to look forward too. Why would I risk it?"

"So we have a few hours before you have to leave, any ideas how you want to use that time?" she inquired as she sauntered towards him.

"Before I leave?" he coughed out in surprise, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes, you are," she insisted, "Its bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

"In her wedding gown," he added.

"Nope, I'm not tempting fate here, Chuck. We've tested it quite enough already. You are leaving before the clock strikes twelve, even if I have to hog tie you and drag you to the elevator," she insisted.

"Your nostrils are flaring," he pointed out as his hands closed around her waist, reveling in the feel of the lace teddy she'd been wearing all evening without him realizing. He couldn't believe he hadn't realized until that moment. "It's so sexy."

"Nice try, Bass," she glared at him, "But you're still on restrictions from your accident. I might be persuaded to bend them tomorrow night because it is my wedding night, but certainly not tonight."

"Even after that poetic speech that I made tonight in your honor, I can't persuade you to drop those La Perlas and give me a little love?" he gave her a sad puppy dog face.

"You're pathetic," she laughed as she shook her head in disbelief, "Using that perfect speech as a way to get inside my panties."

"Your panties aren't the only thing that I want to get inside of," he continued to give her the puppy dog face. "It probably wouldn't hurt too much if I just laid back and let you do all the work."

"I cannot believe you just said that!" she exclaimed as she pushed him away roughly. She sounded outraged, but the look on her face showed a bit of humor.

"Please," he added as he batted his long lashes, "I know you want me. I know you need me. You have these urges, remember, these itches that only I can scratch."

"Keep talking, Bass, and you'll be lucky if I'm not wearing flannel tomorrow night," she sternly told him as he began stalking towards her. "Not another step, Bass. I'm warning you."

"Come here," he motioned her towards him as he remained in place as she'd requested. He'd play the game. He knew she'd come to him eventually. She always did.

"Do you promise to behave?" she crossed her arms.

"No," he shook his head. "How can I make such a promise with such a beauty standing before me."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure about that?" he chuckled, "Because I think I'm actually getting much closer to my goal. How about you just give me what we both desire? We both know you're going to."

"I am not," she stated slowly as she took a small step towards him. She hadn't even realize she'd done it as she added, "I happen to have your wellbeing in mind."

"We both know that you are craving intimacy right now. Those pregnancy hormones are turning you into the wanton woman that I love and cherish beyond anything in this world," he spoke seductively.

"So you only love and cherish me when I'm without sexual restraint?" she glared at him as she took another tiny step forward.

"I love and cherish you always," he told her, mentally cursing himself for his choice of words. He thought carefully about his next turn of phrase. "Just think tomorrow, two hundred people will have their eyes focused solely on you as you float down the aisle in that beautiful satin gown custom made to fit those glorious curves that I so desperately want to worship this evening."

Another step forward.

"We'll be pronounced man and wife, and I'll lay a kiss on those tantalizing lips that will leave you breathless."

Another step closer.

"I will dance with you in my arms as my fingers fight to stay away from whatever is holding your dress together."

One more step was all he needed.

"I'll carry you across the threshold of our new home and make love to you, claiming you as my wife for the rest of our lives."

Finally, she was in his arms, kissing him, pulling at his clothes, backing him towards the bed they shared for a few weeks, a bed fit for the queen he'd crowned her to be. They were both so aroused that no foreplay was need. Clothes were littered across the floor as they climbed into bed, Blair hovering over him. Their bodies were so closely pressed together. He could feel the heat pouring out of her.

"Chuck, tell me if I'm hurting you," she whispered against his lips, as she looked deep into his eyes.

"I feel no pain," he assured her as he claimed her lips again. They moaned in satisfaction as she lowered herself onto him, stretching to accommodate him.

"You feel so good," she whimpered after a few slow thrusts, "No one has ever made me feel as complete as you. No one has ever filled me like you do. Please, Chuck, tell me you're close because I can't hold out any longer."

"Let go," he encouraged her, "You'll take me with you."

Blair's back arched as she came, crying out to the heavens as she felt him fill her with his essence. She managed a few more erratic thrusts before she was completely spent as she collapsed on top of him.

"Wow," Blair muttered, gasping for air as she returned to her senses. "It's never been like that before. So…"

"Short," he offered with a slight frown.

"Powerful," she corrected him, "I mean we've had moments where quick yet satisfying was on the menu, but this…wow. I felt it all the way to my toes."

"Verbal foreplay," he offered up an explanation with one of his Cheshire grins, "I'd wager with a few more carefully chosen words I could have had you coming were you stood."

"I think you're right," she nodded in agreement before a horrific thought occurred to her as she was still draped across him. "Oh, god, I'm probably hurting you right now."

"Still feeling no pain," he assured her, as his hands went to her back, guiding her to lay against him again. "As long as we're connected so intimately, I feel nothing but pleasure."

"We'll have to test that theory again tomorrow night," she chuckled.

Chuck groaned as he felt her laughter ripple through her body. The sensation went straight to his groin.

"Seriously, Chuck, how can you be reloaded already?" she playfully teased him, "My orgasm have barely faded."

"You bring out the best in me," he smirked, "Ding, Ding, round two."

**TBC. . .**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**So here is the wedding chapter for all you Chair fans to enjoy.**

Blair had kicked Chuck out of their suite before the clock struck midnight the night before, after three so satisfying rounds of lovemaking. Fortunately Serena had made mention that Lily was expecting him at her apartment as he didn't want to go to the manor without Blair. Lily had welcomed him with open arms and gave him his old bedroom for the night along with assurances that Dan would be nowhere in sight that day.

Blair had given him the details of Humphrey's third attempt to stop the wedding and the part he'd played in Georgina's plot to ruin them. There was a part of Chuck that wanted Dan at the ceremony, wanted him to hear Blair make her vows and to be made as his wife. He knew of no crueler punishment to inflict.

Lily, Rufus, Serena, Eric, Nate and himself were all sitting down to a good hearty breakfast. Serena was jabbering on about all the last minute details that she was responsible for and how the best man had the easiest job of making sure that the groom was on time for the ceremony. It was the big, happy, family gathering that made him realize there was one thing he needed to do before he dressed for the day.

"Nathaniel, can you keep everyone entertained this morning? I have somewhere that I need to go," Chuck requested.

"Sure, but don't be late for the ceremony. I'd hate to blow my one responsibility," Nate nodded as Chuck walked towards the elevator.

Walking through the cemetery, he carried a bouquet of yellow roses. Finding the appropriate headstones, he knelt down and left them at his mother's grave. His eyes read across the stone, the day she was born, the day she died. He had to look away suddenly at the reminder, the day she died was his birthday.

"I knew I'd find you here," a voice called out to him.

"How could you?" Chuck hissed, as he looked towards the intruder with death in his eyes, "How could you dishonor my mother the way you did?"

"Come on, Nephew, it was a game. I played my hand; I lost," Jack rolled his eyes, "Bart would have done the same in my position, but he would have done it so much better. You'd still be believing that Elizabeth Fisher was your mother."

"My mother's name was Evelyn Bass," Chuck gritted out through clinched teeth.

"Yes, it was," Jack confirmed, "Let's put the past behind us. We're family."

"You have no idea what it is to be a part of a family," Chuck snorted.

"Neither do you. Don't you get it, Chuck? We're the same. We can never have that fairytale happy ending because we're too screwed up," Jack laughed, "Look at you. You're bipolar for crying out loud. It's going to take medication and electroshock therapy to straighten you out. By the way, have they fried away all of those brain cells you didn't kill with all that weed you smoked yet?"

"You really have no clue what you're talking about, do you?"

"I know that you'll never be able to make Blair happy. How could you? You don't know what happiness means," Jack replied.

"Happiness isn't just some word in a dictionary, Jackie," Chuck replied, "It's a feeling. It's something that you feel deep down in your heart, which is why you won't ever feel it. If you had a heart, which I doubt, it would be made of stone."

"Ouch, Nephew, how about a little compassion?" Jack clutched at his chest.

"If you're here to stop the wedding…" Chuck began.

"I'm not," Jack cut him off, "That's what I'm here to tell you. I'm done. I'll stay on my little island in the Pacific and never bother you ever again."

"At what price?" Chuck inquired.

"Think of it as my wedding present to you," Jack offered, "Oh, and congratulations, I hear you're about to become a father."

"You come near my wife or my child, I will end you," Chuck growled as he advanced towards his uncle.

"Easy, Nephew," Jack took a step back as he held up his hands in surrender, "I mean no harm. I just hope that kid is really yours."

"You're leaving," Chuck told him as he advanced towards him again, "If I see you in New York ever again, I'll tip off the FBI to the role you played in Philip's little ponzi scheme. It was you that orchestrated that entire thing, was it not?"

"I'm flattered that you noticed. Thanks for making him the fall guy, by the way," Jack laughed, "I mean, that was my plan all along as he was too clueless to realize how deep in he was, but you made it almost too easy. With all that money in my bank account, I don't need Bass Industries anymore."

"Leave," Chuck growled as he pulled out his phone in an attempted threat to dial the FBI contact he'd worked with the day before.

"Good luck, Nephew, you're going to need it," Jack chuckled sarcastically as he strolled away without a care in the world. It was at the cemetery gates that he was accosted by federal agents and slapped in cuffs.

"You got all of that, didn't you?" Chuck inquired as he tossed the listening device he'd carried in his pocket towards the agent he'd met yesterday.

"Crystal clear," the agent nodded. "You were very convincing."

"That wasn't acting," Chuck replied.

"Don't you worry, he's going away for a long time," the agent assured him.

"And Bass Industries will be left alone," Chuck needed a second assurance.

"He didn't use any of Bass Industries assets in the scheme. We haven't found any real connection other than the name. You and your father's company are free and clear," the agent nodded.

"Thank you," Chuck nodded.

"I'll leave you to it then," the agent stated, "And congratulations. I hear you're going to become a father soon. I have two girls myself. The cutest little bugs in the world."

"Thank you," Chuck repeated as he turned towards his parents' graves as he released a deep sigh of relief. "I'm sorry I had to do that here. It was the only place I could think of to lure him in, but it's over now. I know the truth, the whole truth. And he was wrong, Bart. I know you'd never do to me what he did, even if the roles were reversed."

Chuck took a few moments to catch his breath. It felt as if his heart was about to beat out of his chest as he fell to the ground.

"Are you okay, Charles?" Lily inquired as she was at his side in an instant.

He'd confessed the entire plan to Lily before he'd gone to bed. He was torn and needed someone to talk to. The agents had given him the option to be a part of the plan or not. He didn't know if he could be a part of Jack's downfall. He didn't want to drag Blair into it. It was her wedding day, after all. He wanted her day to be perfect, free of any outside drama.

Lily had been a good listener. She didn't try to influence him one way or another. She just told him to do what felt right in his heart. It was the happy, family breakfast that convinced him. He and Jack weren't family. They shared a bloodline. That was it.

"I'll be fine," Chuck nodded as he sat in the grass for a few moments.

"I saw Jack being led away in handcuffs. I guess he confessed," she replied.

"It was almost too easy," Chuck stated, "I just had to play to his ego, and he sang like a canary."

"I'm not surprised," Lily stated as she knelt down next to him, tracing the letters of Bart's name on the headstone, "Jack was always the egotistical one. Bart was the smart one; smart, ruthless, calculating, confident, charming…"

"Did you love him?" Chuck asked.

"Yes," she nodded, "But your mother was the love of his life. I couldn't compete with that. She was always going to be our downfall, even if he had lived through that accident."

"Not Rufus?" Chuck pressed.

"What Rufus and I have is different from what I had with your father, but he wasn't the catalyst," she explained, "Like I said, Bart is a charming man. I did love him, but it's hard to love someone when they don't love you back."

"I'm sorry," Chuck stated, "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Its quite alright," Lily turned to smile at him, "I got something wonderful out of my marriage to Bart, you. Watching you become the man that you've turned into has been such a joy. It certainly hasn't been easy, but seeing where you are today, your wedding day, it warms my heart."

"Thank you for looking after me," Chuck replied, "You certainly didn't have to. No one would have blamed you for ripping up those adoption papers after Bart died."

"Like I said, it has warmed my heart to see the man that you've become," she stated as she hugged him. "Now, we'd better get going. We had best not be late for your wedding, and I still have to get to Eleanor's to get my hair and makeup done."

"Will you tell Blair that I love her, when you see her?" he requested as he rose to his feet.

"I'm sure she doesn't need the reminder, but yes, I'll tell her," she replied as she hugged him again.

"Thank you, Lily," Chuck stated as he held her for a moment longer than she'd expected.

* * *

After returning from the cemetery, Chuck felt as if the rest of the day passed by in a blur until he was standing at the altar, waiting patiently for Blair to emerge on her father's arm. The skies above were grey. It looked as if it could rain at any moment, but so far their luck was holding. The five-piece orchestra was playing as the guests arrived and were seated. They were all talking about the same thing, the skies.

"Almost time," Nate stated as he looked at his watch. "Last chance to make a run for it."

Chuck couldn't keep the laughter at bay as he looked to his best friend.

The processional started as Serena made her way slowly down the aisle, in time with the music.

"She looks beautiful," Nate stated as his eyes flowed Serena with each step.

"Do me a favor," Chuck requested, "If you're going to nail her on a bar stool again, be a little more discreet about it this time."

"I'm not…" Nate began to protest, but could only shrug as he conceded to the possibility. Diana was leaving for London almost immediately after the ceremony, so he'd be on his own. With enough alcohol, he could very easily see himself reenacting their past.

Serena smiled warmly at both Nate and Chuck as she took her place at the altar. Her attention quickly diverted to the back of the aisle as the processional music changed to the wedding march.

Blair and her father magically appeared, seemingly out of thin air. Chuck's breath caught. She was mesmerizing; her eyes were hypnotic as she held his gaze with each step she took. He couldn't even describe the dress. He hadn't seen it. It was the look of pure and simple joy that had his complete attention.

Nate had to poke Chuck in the ribs as Blair and Harold stopped just before the altar to get him to go take Blair's hand as her father lifted her veil to kiss her cheek.

The ceremony commenced. Chuck said all the right things, repeated all the right words, went through the proper motions, but he'd have to see the wedding video later to know what happened. The only thing he would remember was the moment that he was told to kiss is bride. He kissed her with such passion her tiara nearly fell off. Just when he pulled away the drops of water from the sky began to lightly fall. Blair squealed in surprise as he took her hand and led her quickly towards the tent before the skies really opened up.

Towels were handed out to the guests like party favors as Blair and Chuck took several moments for themselves in the segmented room set aside just for the two of them.

"Hello, Mrs. Bass," he smiled as he held her in his arms as they swayed gently against each other.

"Hello, Mister Bass," she smiled back at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck a little tighter. "I can't believe it. We're actually married. There were no interruptions, no surprises. The rain stayed away until the very end, chasing us in here at the perfect moment. That's what this day is, Chuck, perfect."

Chuck stepped away suddenly.

"What are you doing?" she looked at him with intrigue.

"I suddenly realized I haven't seen your dress yet," he explained.

"How could you not have seen it?" she gasped, "You watched me walk down the aisle in it."

"It's those siren eyes of yours," he told her, "They had me so hypnotized that I couldn't look anywhere else."

"Well, now that you've seen it, what do you think?" she inquired as she did a quick little pirouette to give him the full effect.

"Breathtaking," was the only reply he could come up with.

"Breathtaking works," she smiled as she stepped back into his arms, "Now shut up and kiss me."

* * *

"Chuck, Blair, everyone's anxiously awaiting your entrance," Serena announced as she stepped tentatively into the room. She didn't know what she was going to find. She half expected Blair's dress to be on the floor, and her best friend to be pressed against some solid surface with Chuck pounding into her. What she saw warmed her heart. They were dancing, slowly in a circle, as if they were in their own little world. Their foreheads were pressed together, and they held each other as close as they could.

"Don't care," Chuck waved her away.

"Come on, Chuck," Serena refused to be ignored, "The sooner you come out, the sooner you can leave and start your wedding night."

"The talking blonde has a point," Blair sighed.

"Save me a dance?" he requested.

"I'll save them all for you," she winked.

"Come on, Mister and Mrs. Bass, one step at a time, you can do it," Serena encouraged them as she would an infant taking their first steps.

"The condescension is not appreciated," Blair scowled at Serena.

"No squished faces, it will give you frown marks in the pictures," Serena replied.

"Can I slap her?" Blair asked Chuck.

"You can do anything you want today," Chuck told her, "It's your wedding day."

"You don't want a red hand print in the wedding photos," Serena winced as Blair walked past her and raised her hand.

"We have to take these wedding pictures soon. They're ruining my fun," Blair whined.

"Come on, my queen," Chuck wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her into the ballroom.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let me announce for the first time, Mister and Mrs. Charles Bass," Nate stated from the podium where the full orchestra was set up.

Blair and Chuck stepped onto the dance floor as the orchestra began playing "Waltz at the Ball" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Chuck and Blair bowed to each other, keeping up with the fairytale theme of the dance before Chuck took her in his arms. He guided Blair around the floor as if they were flying through the clouds, turning her at appropriate intervals. No one would have suspected that less than a week ago, he'd been in a car accident and had been walking with a limp ever since.

Half way through, Nate and Serena joined them on the dance floor, and clumsily made their way around. Both were grateful when the orchestra shifted to an easier step. Neither had paid much attention during the dance classes they were required to attend in their youth. Blair and Chuck kept dancing as they looked to each other with stars in their eyes.

"It's time for the father-daughter dances," Chuck told Blair as he spotted Harold approaching them, "I'll be back in three songs."

"I love you," she cooed just as she pressed her lips to his.

"I love you too," he told her as he gave her hand to his father before turning to find Lily.

"You look very happy, Blair-Bear," her father observed.

"I am very happy," she nodded, "I don't think today could have been any more special or perfect than it is. Even the rain couldn't put a damper on things."

"Rain on one's wedding day is a sign of good luck," her father told her.

"Are you making that up?" Blair inquired as they swayed in time with the music.

"No," her father chuckled before his face turned suddenly serious, "Blair-Bear, is there more to this wedding than I know?"

"What do you mean, Daddy?" Blair asked as she batted her lashes innocently.

"Sweetheart, are you pregnant?" her father whispered in her ear.

Blair nodded her head as her smile widened. "We aren't telling anyone just yet. Only Mom and Lily know, and of course Dorota," she explained, "We're going to wait a little while longer to make the announcement, but if you want to tell Roman, you may."

"Blair, this is fantastic," her father told her as he hugged her tight, "Roman and I had this feeling. How long until the blessed day?"

"A little over six months," Blair replied.

"And Chuck is…" Harold began.

"The father, yes," she nodded, "Without a doubt."

"Congratulations, Sweetheart," Harold beamed down at her, his eyes glistening with happy tears.

"Don't you dare start crying on me now," Blair warned him, "We haven't taken pictures yet."

"You're right," he chuckled, "We can do that later."

Blair went through the next two dances with her other fathers having pretty much the same conversation. She thought she'd be upset with people figuring out her big secret, but each time she confirmed the news she became happier. She almost wanted to grab the microphone and make the announcement herself right then and there, but then she caught Chuck's eye. He had a mysterious twinkle about him as he danced with her mother. Suddenly, she wanted no one else to know. She wanted to keep their secret for as long as they could.

When her father-daughter dances were concluded, she caught Nate about to step in to dance, but Chuck was quicker and spun her away.

"You can have your turn later, Archibald," Chuck replied as Blair's head came to rest against his shoulder as they swayed to the music.

"We're getting hungry, Chuck," she whispered in his ear.

"Let's finish this dance first," he suggested as his lips drifted to her ear as he whispered, "Your fathers know, don't they?"

"Yes," she replied, "And they are so happy and excited for us. I thought Daddy might be a little disappointed with me, but he wasn't, not even for a split second."

"So I don't have to worry about three pairs of hands wringing my neck?" he smiled.

"You only have to worry about one pair, mine," she chuckled.

"I can't say it enough today. I love you," he replied.

"You can't ever say it enough," she told him.

"In that case, I love you, I love you, I love you…" he rambled on until Blair kissed him to keep him from continuing on.

* * *

"We're home, Mrs. Bass," Chuck whispered in Blair's ear to wake her. She'd fallen asleep on his shoulder during the short ride from the park to their new home.

"So tired," Blair mumbled as she burrowed into his shoulder.

"I'd carry you the entire way to our bedroom if I could," he replied as he shook her gently.

"I know," she stuck out her lip to pout.

Chuck helped her out of the limo and kept the train of her dress from dragging across the wet pavement. It had stopped raining an hour earlier, but the steady rainfall had soaked the stones completely through. It would take the sun's rays the next day to thoroughly dry everything.

At the door, Blair waited for Chuck to unlock the door. She wasn't expecting his next move as he swept her into his arms and carried her across the threshold.

"Chuck, put me down," she demanded, "You're still healing."

"I have a surprise for you," Chuck told her as he returned her to her feet.

"Your restrictions were completely lifted, so I don't have to feel any guilt as we make love," she stated hopefully.

"I don't give a damn about those restrictions," he told her, "As far as I'm concerned they were lifted last night, but that's not the surprise."

"Well if that isn't the surprise, then I don't know what it is," she stated.

"That's why they call it a surprise," he replied as he grasped her hand and led her towards the staircase, "Now follow me."

"Anywhere," she vowed as she gathered her skirt so she wouldn't trip as she carefully took each step.

At the landing near their bedroom, Chuck had Blair close her eyes and then he spun her in circles. Having not thought of the complication, the train of her dressed wrapped her in a cocoon leaving her unable to move. It took a bit of work to free her, but once she was untangled he led her towards her surprise, keeping his hands over her eyes in case she had the thought of peeking.

"Okay, open your eyes," he whispered as he lowered his hands.

Blair gasped at her surroundings. They were standing in the finished nursery.

"Chuck, this is perfect!" she exclaimed as the vision she'd had in her head for a few weeks was surrounding her.

The walls were mint green. The floors were a rich brown maple. The crib in the corner was the ivory painted, Tiffany crib that she'd picked out in a catalog earlier that week, with chocolate and white polka dot sheets. Near the window was an ivory overstuffed chair and ottoman. On the far wall were two framed black and white photographs, one of Blair as a baby and the other of Chuck as a baby. Hanging over the crib was a mobile with four pristine white teddy bears, ready to entertain their child.

"When the baby is born, and we've decided on the name, we can have that embossed on the wall," Chuck added.

"I'm nearly speechless," Blair stated as her hands traced along the crib's frame.

"You were very specific with your notes," Chuck told her, "It made the task fairly simple… well as simple as it can be when it all needs to come together in under a week."

"I love it," she replied as she threw her arms around his neck.

"I have one more gift for you before we retire to the bedroom," he replied as he disappeared into the baby's walk in closet only to reappear with a beautifully wrapped box in his hands.

She reached for the lid and pulled it off as she peered inside like a giddy little girl. Inside was a collection of fairytales, wrapped in a bow.

"It's never too early to start him or her on the classics, is it?" he inquired.

Blair quickly lifted the books out of the box and set them on the ottoman. "For tomorrow, perhaps."

"Ready to retire for the evening?" he inquired as he offered her his hand.

"As long as retiring doesn't mean falling asleep," she replied as she grasped his hand and followed him to their bedroom.

"I believe our bedroom should be the next room in the manor that we christen," he nodded as he kissed her hand.

**TBC. . .**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Had to repost.**

"Blair," Chuck called out for his wife when he awoke the morning after their wedding to find her half of the bed empty and cold. His call was met with silence. He quickly donned his robe and began his search through their bedroom and bathroom to find her.

When his searched didn't produce his wife, he went towards the only other finished room in their home, the nursery. There she sat, wrapped in an ivory satin robe, her feet propped up on the ottoman, reading one of the fairytales from the book he'd gifted her with the previous evening out loud as she caressed her abdomen. The mobile above the crib was spinning as it played its soothing lullaby. Chuck stood against the doorframe, trying desperately to commit everything about the moment to memory, as she had the most serene smile on her face.

"How long have you been standing there?" Blair inquired as she closed the book, having finished the story, to find him standing in the same spot he'd been since he'd found her.

"A few minutes," he replied as he crossed the room quickly and knelt next to her.

She leaned in and greeted him with a kiss. "Good morning."

"How long have you been awake?" he inquired as he caressed the smooth fabric at her shoulder when she relaxed against the chair.

"Two stories worth," she replied as he reached towards the sash at her waist and pulled it open.

"I finally see it," Chuck stated as he spread the fabric apart to reveal her abdomen.

"See what?" she inquired as she tangled her left hand into his hair as he bent forward and kissed her stomach.

"This baby bump that you have," he spoke against her skin.

"It's about time," she chuckled as she tugged lightly at the strands of hair at the nape of his neck. "This room is just as beautiful in the natural light."

"Did you sleep well?" he inquired.

"When I was allowed to sleep, yes," she nodded, "But someone kept waking me up."

"Yes, that was rather rude of me, wasn't it," he chuckled.

"Hmmm," she hummed happily as she stretched, "Is it possible to have such a perfect moment such as this? Maybe we're still asleep."

"Then lets hold onto this dream for as long as we can," he whispered as his lips continued to ghost along her abdomen.

"I love you," she sighed happily.

"The bed was so cold," he groaned, "And I was looking forward to waking up the first morning of married life to the warmest bed ever."

"I guess we should have registered for an electric blanket," she chuckled.

"Weren't you the one that requested that we wake up this morning in each other's arms?"

"And my wish came true," she responded with a twinkle in her eyes, "When I awoke this morning, I was wrapped in your arms, and you were wrapped in mine. It's your fault that you didn't wake up at the same time I did."

"I believe I can make a case for it being your fault," he replied.

"How could you not waking up be my fault?"

"I believe that on our first morning of married bliss, you should have taken the initiative to wake me," he replied as he lifted his head to deliver a devilish smirk.

"But you looked so incredibly peaceful," she pouted, "I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"Come back to bed with me," he requested as he pulled on her hand to coax her back to bed.

"Make me an offer tempting enough to leave this cozy chair," she baited him.

Chuck rocked back on his knees to take in the vision before him. She radiated happiness out of every pour of her body. The satin highlighted the tropical glow she'd managed to retain after their tropical vacation, and thanks to the remoteness of their destination, there wasn't a tan line to be found.

"Are you done ogling yet?" she teased as she shifted slightly under his intense gaze.

"I'll never be done ogling you," he smirked.

"Make me an offer," she requested again, "I want to know what you're willing to give up to get me back into your bed."

"My freedom," he offered, "My hopelessly pathetic nomadic lifestyle that I used to pretend was satisfying."

"You've already given that up," she smirked, "How about something with a little monetary value?"

"I actually do have something that fits the bill," he replied as he stood up and entered their baby's walk in closet. He returned with a small jewelry box that he'd hidden when we'd brought over the box of fairytales he'd given her the night before.

She reached for it immediately, but he pulled it just out of her reach. "Before you get all grabby, I have to give you a little explanation because this isn't my usual lavish gift. This one is a bit more sentimental."

"I didn't realize you were the sentimental type when it came to things like jewelry – limos, I understand," she replied.

"These were my mom's," Chuck told her as he opened the box and revealed the silver apple earrings to her. "My dad gave these earrings to her just before they moved to New York City. He told her that he was determined to conquer the 'Big Apple' but until he did these earrings were all he had to offer."

"They're beautiful, Chuck," she smiled as she ran her fingers along the velvet fabric that the earrings were nestled in.

"Bart wasn't sentimental about much else, but these earrings were his kryptonite. When he held them, his heart was on his sleeve. It usually on their anniversary that he retrieved them from his safe, but there were a few other nights too," Chuck explained, "It was the one night a year I could ask any question and get a real answer, and he was usually too lost in his memories to look at me with his usual distain."

She reached out to gentle caress him, hoping to coax a smile from his somber face.

"I want you to have them," Chuck stated as he extended the box to her, "They were her favorites."

"I'll wear them on very special occasions," she replied as she took them.

"Is the offer satisfactory to get you back in my bed?" he inquired.

"More than satisfactory," she nodded, "But I think we should christen this room first. It would be a little weird if we waited to christen it until after he or she is born."

"Agreed," he chuckled as he rose to his feet and hovered above her, "And I think we should see just how sturdy this chair is before the manufacturer's warranty runs out."

"That is the cheesiest thing I think you'll say to me all day," she laughed as she pulled the sash of his robe to bring him closer.

"The day is still young," he chuckled.

* * *

"So are you going to solve the mystery as to where these carts of food appear from?" Blair inquired as he rolled the second meal of the day into their bedroom. Breakfast had magically appeared shortly after they'd returned to their bedroom after starting their morning in the nursery. Now lunch had arrived. Nowhere in sight was the mysterious figure who delivered it.

"My little secret," he winked.

"And they brought the New York Post," Blair frowned, "Why the heck would we want to read that gossip rag today?"

"Don't you want to see the glowing reviews for your gown?" he inquired.

"Honestly, I could care less about what they have to say," she replied, "After the stunt that they pulled, they are lucky we don't sue for defamation of character."

"We really don't have much grounds for such a suit," he replied, "They did print the truth."

"Then invasion of privacy," she stated, "We are private citizens, and our neurosis should have keep kept private."

"The longer we dwell on it, the more power it gives these people," he replied.

"What happened to this being one of those labels you don't intend on wearing?" she glared at him.

"It was you that told me I should not be ashamed of this, wasn't it?" he inquired.

"Yes," she nodded, "Because there is nothing to be ashamed of, but I also know you. You may pretend that people knowing this isn't bothering you, but I know better. We both saw the looks yesterday that some of those well to doers were giving us at our reception."

"I was so focused on my gorgeous wife, I didn't even give anyone else a second thought," he replied.

"Fine, give me the paper," she replied as she motioned for him to hand it over. "Maybe they'll have some interesting story regarding the arrest of Georgina's dimwitted husband… You know what bothers me about that entire ponzi scheme? Georgina's husband seemed so utterly clueless. His fortune was clearly inherited. How the heck was he able to sell the scam to anyone? He must have had an accomplice."

"About that," Chuck stated as he pulled the paper away just as she was going to grab it. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough and it was out of his hand.

"Chuck, did you know about this?" Blair gasped as she saw Jack's ugly mug splashed on the front page. "Your uncle was arrested yesterday before our wedding. Why the heck was he even in the city?"

"I…um…" Chuck faltered for an answer.

"You knew," she concluded, "Did you see him? Was he here to ruin our wedding?"

"Yes, and no," Chuck replied, "I saw him; we spoke. I was the one to have him arrested."

"For what?" her eyes went wide in surprise.

"When I uncovered the dirt regarding Philip's involvement, I had no idea that there was another player involved in the scheme. It wasn't until I talked to the FBI that I was told that Jack Bass was actually the real face of the scandal," he explained.

"Why is this the first that I'm hearing about it?" she glared at him, "You had so many opportunities to tell me during and after the groom's dinner."

"Because I wanted nothing to ruin your day," he explained, "And I didn't want you to worry about me."

"What aren't you telling me?" she pressed her lips tightly together.

"The FBI asked me for help," he explained, "Jack had covered his tracks very well. The only way to truly tie him to his crime was to get him to confess. So yesterday morning, I left Lily's a little earlier than I had originally planned and went to my parents' graves. Jack showed up. We argued about his scheme with Elizabeth, he congratulated me on becoming a father, I about tore him to shreds for what I thought to be a threat he made towards you and our child, and then somehow I got him to confess. It was almost too easy. He didn't know I had a recorder in my pocket. As he was leaving the cemetery, thinking he was as free as a bird, he was arrested."

Blair sat in stunned silence for a moment as his tale sunk in. "Wow," was the only response she could give.

"Wow," Chuck nodded.

"You managed to kill two birds with one stone. You got rid of Jack and Georgina at the same time," she added, "We're going to have to find you some sort of cape because that has superhero written all over it in my book."

"You're not mad at me for not telling you?"

"I'm a little mad," she corrected him as she slapped his shoulder with the newspaper when he came within reach, "But I'm decidedly more grateful. Your uncle gave me the creeps. I cringe at the thought that I voluntarily let him touch me the first time. I want to peel away my skin at the thought of what I almost did the second time. If I never see Jack Bass again, I'll be a happy camper."

"You may get your wish," he replied, "He's likely going to jail for a few decades, maybe longer."

"Hopefully longer," she stated.

"I'm sorry I ever let Jack near you a second time," he began.

"Water under the bridge," she waved off his apology, "I've made my peace with that."

"I don't deserve you," he cooed as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

"Well you're stuck with me now," she smiled, "So you might as well enjoy as much of me as you can."

"I think I will," he chuckled as he pushed the cart aside as he climbed into bed, "Lunch can wait."

**TBC. . .**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**To make up for the confusion of my reposting of Chapter 23, here is Chapter 24 for your viewing pleasure.**

**As thrilled as I am with the outcome of last night's season finale, as I'm sure we all are, I have to admit I was about sixty seconds from throwing my television out the window.**

**Having said that, I'm all in.**

**Enjoy.**

"So what do you say the odds are that Chuck and Blair show up to this little soiree?" Serena inquired of her mother as they prepared for the newlywed's brunch that had been arranged. She still didn't know how her mother had convinced Chuck and Blair to take a morning away from their honeymoon lockup in their new home to have late brunch with their closest friends and family only a week after they'd said their vows.

"They'll show," Eric stated as he stole a handful of fruit from one of the platters despite the slap to the hand he received from his mother in the process, "Blair gets to open her wedding gifts. There is nothing that will stop that materialist girl from tearing into her presents. The better question that should be asked is how long they'll stay. I'm guessing no more than two hours, one to open the gifts, the second to make it look polite."

"I left Chuck a message last night and again this morning to remind him," Lily stated calmly.

"I'm sure they'll be in need of a break," Nate chimed in as he arrived.

"You're early," Serena looked at him curiously, "Do we need to teach you how to read your watch again? You see there are two hands, a short one and a long one…"

"Very funny," Nate glared at her, "I've been known to be early on occasion."

"Have any of you heard from Daniel?" Lily inquired as she looked around the room. "Rufus has been trying to reach him for the last few days."

"He's called a couple of times this week," Nate stated, "I never answered the call or even listened to his message, so no, I haven't talked to him."

"Yeah, me too," Serena nodded, "Though I did listen to one message. He actually tried to justify what he'd done, but the recording cut him off. I deleted the message and the few that followed. I'm not really interesting in hearing anymore."

"Jenny heard from him," Eric chimed in, "Yesterday, I think. He's trying to sell her his bill of goods. She's more sympathetic than any of us. She said he sounds pretty depressed. She thinks it has more to do with Blair actually following through with the wedding though more than any guilt he feels for what he's done."

"Well, Rufus is worried. He went to Brooklyn to check on him," Lily stated.

"Mom, we get that he's your stepson, so you have some sort of legal obligation to care about him. I, for one, will be just fine if he stays away for good," Serena replied, "There's not a lot of forgiveness that I can offer him."

"I'm sure you'll feel differently, eventually," Lily stated.

"Don't count on it," Nate quipped, "I'm not feeling very forgiving either. He's just lucky that Chuck hasn't hired a hit man."

"Chuck wouldn't do that, would he?" Lily gasped.

"No," Nate chuckled, "I don't think he actually knows a hit man. I could be wrong though. There were more people in his little black book than just women."

"Speaking of women, where's the cougar?" Serena inquired, "I didn't see much of her at the weddin. I saw her a couple of days ago thought. I thought she'd be with you today."

"She had to catch another flight to London," Nate explained, "She'll be back in a few days. She's very anxious to launch her new website."

"Can't wait myself," Serena added with a hint of sarcasm that went completely over Nate's head.

The elevator chimed the arrival of more of their guests, Eleanor, Cyrus, Harold and Roman. They all began to talk eagerly about the arrival of the newlyweds. Dorota and Vanya arrived shortly after with their adorable little girl, who promptly attached herself to Nate's leg and wouldn't let go of him for the rest of the day. The attention of the little girl irritated Serena more than she was willing to admit.

* * *

"Chuck, stop," Blair moaned as she tried to push him away as he nuzzled her neck on the short ride to his mother's penthouse apartment, "We've been at this for nearly a week now. Haven't you had your fill yet?"

"Never," he whispered into her ear as he began nibbling on her lobe.

It had been an amazing week. They'd spent nearly every moment in their bedroom, but it wasn't all about the extracurricular. They played chess, read novels to each other, and fantasized about their future together. Their meals magically appeared at regular intervals on a cart outside their bedroom. They literally never had to leave their bedroom, though each morning Chuck would find Blair sitting in the nursery, reading fairytales to their unborn child.

The tiny baby bump was growing. Each day she proclaimed that she was larger than the day before, though no one would notice when she was fully clothed.

"We're still in agreement that today is the day for our announcement, aren't we?" she inquired as his hand drifted to her abdomen as he caressed her softly.

"Yes," he nodded, "Though nearly everyone that is going to be there already knows."

"Well, we still need to make it official," she replied.

"As I've said repeatedly, it is your decision when we tell everyone," he stated.

"Will you make the announcement?" she requested, "I know I'm going to lose my nerve. Serena is going to be so upset with me."

"Don't you worry about Serena's reaction," he told her, "I will handle her."

"And Nate?" Blair continued on. "They are our best friends, and we purposely withheld this news from them."

"In all fairness, we only really told Eleanor because she was designing your dress, and she had to know. Dorota knew, well because Dorota knows everything. Everyone else that knows, guessed, and we didn't refute them. I don't recall Nathaniel guessing. Did Serena?"

"No," Blair shook her head, "I don't think so."

"Then it's really their fault," Chuck replied, "They may have had the thought, but they never verbalized it."

"You can twist anything around to your benefit, can't you?" she shook her head in amusement.

"One of my many talents," he smirked as he began nibbling on her neck again.

Blair inhaled his scent deeply. Suddenly her stomach felt like it was churning. "Chuck, stop," Blair demanded as she pushed him away roughly.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he saw the look of slight panic on her face.

"I think I have morning sickness," she told him as her hand clutched her stomach.

"Do you need Arthur to pull over?" he inquired as he reached towards the switch that would lower the glass partition.

"I don't think so," she shook her head. "We aren't more than a block away."

Chuck reached for her free hand as he tried to comfort her as he slid in close to her again. "Tell me what you need me to do."

Another whiff of his cologne turned her stomach harder, "Whoa, stay away from me. It's your cologne. It's making me sick."

"It never has before," he told her as he slid to the other side of the limo to put as much distance between them that he could.

The limo mercifully came to a stop. Blair didn't wait for Arthur to open the door. She shoved it open and flew towards the trashcan that was just steps from the front door. The small breakfast she'd ate earlier that morning was quickly revisited.

"I'm sorry, Mister Bass," Arthur apologized, "I didn't think I was driving erratically."

"It's okay, Arthur," Chuck assured him as he stepped towards Blair and rubbed her back in a soothing fashion, "It wasn't anything you did. It's me. My cologne is suddenly revolting to her."

"Chuck, you need to go home and shower," Blair told him as he stepped in closer, "I don't think I can even ride in the same elevator as you."

"Are you sure it's my cologne?" he asked.

Blair stepped closer to him to get another whiff. The same unsettling feeling took hold. "Yes, oh god, you reek."

"Tell everyone that I was detained by a business matter. I will join you soon," he told her as he stepped into her to give her a quick kiss. Blair held her breath until he pulled away. "I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled slightly, "And I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he assured her.

"And change your clothes," she added as he stepped towards the limo while giving his confused looking driver instructions, "And burn them."

"Yes, Dear," he smiled as he stepped into the limo.

With fresh air, Blair felt her stomach begin to settle, so she felt safe in joining her family.

* * *

"Aren't you missing something, Blair?" Serena inquired as Blair stepped off the elevator alone, "A husband perhaps?"

"You can't tell me that the honeymoon is over after only a week," Nate chuckled as he stepped in to kiss Blair's cheek in greeting. He was apparently wearing a new scent, the same as Chuck.

"He's been a little delayed," Blair explained as she stepped away from Nate quickly, "I'm sure he won't mind if we start without him."

"Blair, we can't celebrate your marriage without the groom," Eleanor insisted.

"He shouldn't be more than thirty minutes," Blair replied, "And he's not going to enjoy the present opening as much as I am anyways."

"Are you sure that's all that's going on?" Serena looked to her best friend with concern, "He's not sulking still over the Post's story, is he?"

"No," Blair replied, "He's still plenty mad about it, but that's not why he's not here. I promise, he'll be here soon."

"Then I guess we can get started," Lily replied as she ushered the bride into the living room where the mammoth pile of gifts was waiting for her.

"Blair, those earrings are beautiful," Serena stated as she took note of the jewels in her best friend's ears, "Not really your style though."

"They were Chuck's mother's," Blair explained as she touched her lobe before she took a seat, "He gave them to me on our first morning of wedded bliss."

Soon the room was filled with the sights and sounds of Blair tearing into her presents to the amusement of her friends and family. There were practical gifts, trashy gifts, many items that would eventually need to be exchanged, but it was Serena's gift that had the bride blushing the most.

"That's an interesting shade of red my wife is wearing," Chuck announced his presence.

"Chuck, look what your sister gave us for a wedding gift," Blair glared at her best friend before she held the box up to her husband.

"Sex toys and edible underwear," he chuckled, "Thanks, S, those will come in handy."

"Chuck!" Blair scolded him as she reached out to smack his shoulder as he leaned in for a kiss, "She also got me a vibrator."

"Keep that in the box," Chuck told her, "We'll re-wrap that and return it to her. She has a birthday coming up soon, doesn't she? You certainly won't be needing it."

"Chuck," she scolded him again.

"I guess you started…or nearly finished without me," he chuckled as he looked towards the few gifts that had yet to be opened.

"Did you expect me to wait to open my presents?" she batted her eyelashes at him.

"I suppose not," he chuckled.

"I haven't opened the cards," she replied, "You can open those."

"What cheap Upper East Sider just gave a card?" Serena scoffed, "I'll want to make note so that I don't invite them to my wedding. Honestly, who does that?"

"Those that found it difficult to decide what to get the bride and groom that have virtually everything they could ever need," Lily chimed in.

"Their mansion is nearly empty!" Serena exclaimed, "They could have…"

"…What bought them furniture?" Nate chimed in with an amused laugh, "All you bought them was sex toys and a vibrator. So obviously you couldn't come with anything practical either."

"It's a gag gift," Serena glared at him, "Chuck and Blair get the humor of it. You bought them a blender. What the heck are they going to do with a blender?"

"All right, separate corners," Blair chimed in to defuse the argument, "And I'm sure that Chuck and I will find plenty of uses for a blender."

"And if we can't, we can always return it for more of this edible underwear. We'll go through this by the caseload," Chuck replied.

"All right, that's quite enough," Lily chimed in, "Blair, why don't you finish with your presents, and then we'll sit down to breakfast."

"Did you want to open one?" Blair inquired as she held up the smallest of the remaining presents to Chuck.

"Go ahead," he chuckled, "You have your fun. I'm sure it's much more entertaining to watch you open the gifts than it is to actually open one myself."

"Chuck, how are you feeling?" Lily inquired as she stepped in to greet her son as he stepped back to allow Blair to regain her spotlight.

"Fine," Chuck replied.

"You've been resting, I hope," she replied, "Not too much physical exertion. You're still recovering from your injuries, after all."

"I'm fine," he assured her, "Blair has been the gentlest of nursemaids."

"Did you really have a business matter to attend to?" she asked softly so the no one else could hear.

"No," he shook his head as he gave his quiet reply, "My cologne makes her nauseous. I had to go home, shower and change. It's the first time we've had to deal with this. It caught us both by surprise."

"Well, get used to it," she chuckled, "This is going to be a confusing six months for you."

When the pile of wrapped present disappeared, the gathered made their way towards the elegantly set table. Blair gave Chuck a knowing glance as they all took their seats, with Chuck and Blair at the head of the table.

"I'd like to start this meal off by proposing a toast," Chuck stated as he tapped his glass of orange juice with a butter knife to get everyone's attention, "First off, I must thank the beautiful hostess for putting together such a luscious looking spread. Thank you, Lily. Your event planning skills are as appreciated as always. Secondly, Blair and I would like to thank you all for…everything. And last but by no means least, we have an announcement to make. Many of you have been intensely curiously by our rush to run down the aisle, and we actually do have the most wonderful of reasons. Blair is three months pregnant with our first child."

"What!" Serena, Nate and Eric exclaimed as everyone else proceeded to congratulate the pair officially.

"You're pregnant!" Serena added, "How long have you known?"

"Since before we left our island," Blair explained, trying to sound as calm as she could.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Serena added.

"We wanted to keep it quiet until after the wedding," Chuck explained, "I didn't want anything to take any of the focus away from Blair on her big day."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Nate inquired.

"We don't know yet," Chuck replied.

"We have to start decorating a nursery for you then," Serena proclaimed triumphantly.

"It's actually already finished," Blair replied, "It was Chuck's wedding gift to me."

"You should have told me. All those times I asked for the real reason that you were rushing down the aisle, you lied to me," she began to pout as the disappointment began to sink in.

"I didn't lie to you," Blair began, "Everything that I said was the honest truth, I just left one part out."

"Are you happy about this, Chuck?" Nate inquired as he bent towards his best friend so that the others at the table weren't able to hear.

"Yes," he nodded quickly, "We're both extremely happy about this."

"So you got engaged because of the baby?" Eric concluded.

"No," Blair shook her head quickly, "We didn't even know I was pregnant when he asked me to marry him. I'd had a few suspicions, but I wasn't absolutely certain until a few weeks later when I worked up the courage to take the test that Dorota sent."

"Dorota, you didn't tell me!" Serena exclaimed as her outrage increased.

"Not my secret to tell," Dorota insisted.

"Well, who else did you tell?" Serena demanded.

"We had to tell my mother," Blair replied, "Because she designed my gown."

"Harold, Roman, and Cyrus guessed at the wedding," Chuck chimed in, "And Lily guessed about a week or so before the wedding."

"You knew!" Serena shrieked as her voice raised an octave as she scowled at her mother, "How could you know that my best friend was pregnant and not tell me?"

"It was Blair and Chuck's secret to reveal," Lily replied calmly, "They wanted to wait. I didn't even tell Rufus."

"Betrayed by my own mother," Serena scoffed as she tossed her napkin on her plate and made a beeline for her bedroom.

"Such the drama queen," Blair sighed as she set her napkin on her own plate as she was about to follow after her.

"Stay here and eat," Chuck told her, "I'll take care of this. You need the nourishment."

"Thank you," she gave him a small smile as he left. Nate was looking at her with the most curious expression. "I suppose you're mad at us too."

"No," Nate shook his head, "I think this news is great, and I understand why you weren't telling people, especially after what Georgina pulled with her Post story. It does solve the mystery though as to why your breasts appear larger."

"That's what's different," Eric stated as he tapped Nate's shoulder in gratitude. Blair's change in appearance had been bugging him, but he couldn't figure out what had been different, "I kept trying to put my finger on what was different. I thought it was the post coital glow."

"You're both disgusting," Blair glared at him.

"Hey, Eric noticed too," Nate stated defensively, "And he doesn't even like breasts."

"On women anyways," Eric chimed in.

"Okay, no more talking about Blair's breasts," Lily chimed in.

* * *

"Serena, get your butt back to that breakfast table and eat," Chuck charged into Serena's bedroom without the cursory knock.

"God, Chuck, boundaries," she glared at him.

"You're being rude. Get back out there now," Chuck demanded.

"Forget it," Serena scoffed, "I'm not breaking bread with my supposed best friend after she's been lying to my face for weeks."

"Did you ever stop to think about why Blair didn't want people to know she was pregnant?" Chuck pressed. "She has spent most of her life living in your shadow. Even when you were off at boarding school, every day she was fielding questions about you. 'How is Serena doing?' 'What's wrong with Serena?' 'Have you heard from Serena?' 'Is Serena pregnant?' 'Is Serena in rehab?' 'Why haven't you heard from Serena? You're supposed to be her best friend.'"

"Your point," Serena narrowed her eyes at her stepbrother.

"My point is that she never once spoke ill of you. She always defended you. She put on a brave face for you when her life was falling apart all around her. Her parents were getting a divorce. Her father had fallen in love with a male model. Her boyfriend was practically ignoring her, and she was throwing up half her meals. She didn't let the gossips take over," Chuck stated.

"And when I came back she started a smear campaign against me and accused me of attempting suicide," Serena hissed back.

"She was hurt," Chuck replied, "She didn't receive one letter from you, one phone call, one god damn email even. And as soon as you returned, the spotlight on you began to shine brighter and brighter. Serena could do no wrong. And you'd changed. Nobody knew who you were anymore. Hell you started dating assholes from Brooklyn."

"Your point," Serena requested once again.

"She's finally worked out of the shadows. She had her own spotlight. She wanted the wedding to be a joyous occasion. She didn't want the whispers of the gossips claiming that I was marrying her only because I'd knocked her up, or worse that she was carrying another man's child that she was passing off as mine. She wanted to have one day where everyone just looked at how beautiful she was with no snide comments to add, and she had that," Chuck explained.

"She still could have told me," Serena insisted.

"Yes, she could have," Chuck nodded, "And you could have accidentally let it slip to someone else, who would let it slip to someone else, who would eventually let it slip to Gossip Girl or The New York Post. We told one person. Had Blair not had the potential for a belly bump, she might not have even told Eleanor, her own mother. Get over yourself, Serena, Blair's life does not revolve around you."

"You have some nerve!" she exclaimed.

"And so do you," he responded, "This day is supposed to be about celebrating my marriage to Blair. We chose today to share our news with our closest friends and family, and you go and take the spotlight away from Blair with the mother of all scenes. If anybody owes anyone an apology it is you. This may be hard for you to grasp, but the world does not revolve around Serena van der Woodsen."

"Bite me," Serena snapped.

"Not interested," Chuck replied as he was about to storm out, "Grow up, Serena."

Serena huffed in reply as she stayed firmly planted on her bed as Chuck slammed the door behind him.

"Is she coming out?" Blair asked Chuck when he returned to the table.

"Not likely," Chuck replied as he kissed her forehead.

"I should go talk to her," Blair stated.

"Let her stew," Chuck shook his head, "Today is not her day."

"Chuck, she's my best friend. I want her to be happy and celebrate with us," she pouted.

"Give her time," Chuck replied, "Soon she'll be buying cute little onesies like there is no tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Chuck nodded.

"So Blair, any morning sickness yet?" Cyrus inquired as a way to make conversation. The table had been uncomfortably quiet since Serena stormed out.

"Today for the first time," Blair nodded, "Apparently I suddenly find Chuck's cologne revolting. I had to send him home to change. By the way, Archibald, you may want to lay off it as well. Penshoppe's Free Spirit does not agree with me right now, and I'd hate to throw up on your shoes."

"Noted," Nate replied.

"I remember when I was pregnant with Blair, I was throwing up night and day," Eleanor chimed in.

"With Eric, I just moved right into the bathroom," Lily added.

"Not that this isn't a fascinating conversation, but could we talk about something other than vomit as we eat our breakfast?" Eric requested.

"How about hemorrhoids or food cravings?" Eleanor suggested.

"No hemorrhoids yet, but I did have one slightly unusual food craving," Blair replied, "Street vendor hotdogs. I sent Chuck on a mission. He came back with an entire box filled with hotdogs with all sort of toppings."

"When I was pregnant with Scott, I was always craving hard shell tacos. I don't know how many late night taco runs I made to Del Taco," Lily replied.

"Del Taco?" Eric inquired.

"It's a cheap taco place in California. It stays open late and is good for those late night taco cravings," Lily explained.

"Tacos sound really good right now," Blair replied as she turned towards Chuck and began batting her lashes.

"Thanks, Lily," Chuck replied before he took Blair's hand and kissed it lightly, "We'll have Arthur drive us past one of those food trucks on the way home. I'll buy you whatever you're craving."

"Promise?" she batted her lashes again.

"That is the most nauseating thing I've seen," Nate replied as he watched the interaction between the newlyweds.

"Agreed," Eric chimed in.

"Be nice to Chuck," Blair glared at them both, "He's going to have to deal with the cravings and the mood swings and everything else that goes along with my pregnancy. Now apologize before I stick my pregnancy mood swings on you."

"Sorry," the both muttered quickly.

"Look who's out of her bedroom," Nate greeted Serena as she crept back into the dining room.

"Blair, Chuck, can I talk to you for a minute?" Serena inquired.

"Sure," Chuck nodded as he offered his hand to Blair before he followed Serena up to her mother's office so they could have some privacy.

"Blair, I'm very sorry about how I behaved earlier," Serena began, "I was out of line. Of course, I'm excited for the two of you. I shouldn't have made it all about me. It was your choice of when you'd tell everyone. I wish that you could have trusted me a bit more to keep your secret, but I guess I understand why you didn't."

"I do trust you, S," Blair began, "I know you would never have intentionally revealed my pregnancy. I felt guilty for not telling you, everyday in fact since Chuck and I returned from our island, but after what happened with the newspaper column just before the wedding I can't say that I regret my decision. I trusted Dan with a very personal problem that I've been working through since I was fourteen, and he used it against me."

"And I want to scratch out his eyes for it," Serena added.

"So do I," Blair smirked slightly.

"He's the father, isn't he?" Serena inquired as she pointed towards Chuck.

"Yes," Blair laughed out, "I was never with Louis, remember."

"And you're happy about this?" Serena asked.

"We're so happy," Blair nodded.

"You're happy?" Serena pressed as she got into Chuck's face.

"Ecstatic," Chuck replied.

"You had better take care of them," Serena waved a finger in his face, "You'd better give them a good life and take care of them and love them with every ounce of love that you have in you."

"I will," he nodded, "I already do."

"I know you said that today isn't about me, but can I be excited that I'm going to be an aunt?" she asked.

"Yes," he laughed.

"B, I'm so happy for you," Serena stated as she hugged Blair tight.

"Oh, no," Blair stated as she suddenly pushed Serena away and dashed out of the room, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Are you still wearing the Versace perfume?" Chuck inquired.

"Yeah, why?" Serena asked in confusion.

"You might want to hold off on the perfumes around Blair right now," Chuck explained, "She's very sensitive. I had to go home and take a shower earlier."

"Should I go after her?" Serena inquired.

"No," Chuck shook his head, "Go have breakfast with the family. I'll take care of Blair. She and the baby are my responsibility after all."

"Right," Serena smiled.

Serena returned to the dining room as Chuck went to check on Blair. She was rinsing her mouth out with mouthwash as she patted her face with a cool, damp washcloth.

"We're going to put a ban on all perfumes and colognes for the next six months," Blair stated.

"Okay," he nodded, "Has your stomach settled enough to return to breakfast or did you want to go back to the manor to lay down?"

"Would you hate me for saying I want to go back to the manor and lay down?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Do you think our friends and family would hate me?"

"No," he continued to shake his head.

"Take me home, Chuck," she requested as her arms wrapped around his neck as she hugged him tight.

"As you wish, my queen," he whispered in her ear.

"At least I got to open all my presents," she replied as they made their way back down to the main floor.

"I'll work with Lily to have them sent over. Why don't you go retrieve your things? I'll go make our excuses," Chuck suggested.

"Good idea," she nodded as she went to the coatroom to gather her purse and the light jacket she'd worn.

"Blair's not feeling well, so I'm going to take her home so she can lay down," Chuck announced to the dining room full of friends and family.

"Poor thing," Eleanor stated as she rose from the table. "Charles, I'll walk you two out."

Chuck nodded as Eleanor followed him to the entryway.

"Sweetheart, Charles said you're not feeling well," Eleanor stated as she went to hug her daughter.

Blair held her at a distance, not wanting a repeat of earlier with Serena. "You'd better not hug me. Perfumes and colognes are apparently my kryptonite… I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be, Sweetheart," Eleanor assured her, "Morning sickness is a very common part of pregnancy."

Blair nodded in acknowledgement of the words as she cast her eyes to the floor.

"Chin up, Sweetheart," Eleanor stated as she lifted her daughter's eyes, "This isn't like before. This has nothing to do with your bulimia."

Blair nodded again as tears filled her eyes.

"If you have any questions, I'm only a call away," Eleanor stated as she ignored Blair's warning and gave her a hug.

"When are you going back to Paris?" Blair inquired.

"It won't be for awhile," Eleanor replied, "Cyrus and I will be staying in New York through your pregnancy and quite possibly for a long while after that."

"And Daddy and Roman?" she asked.

"They have to go back to France for a little while," Eleanor explained, "But they will be back in plenty of time. Their plan at the moment is to be back by your birthday and to stay until at least a month after their grandchild is born."

"That's almost four months," Blair's eyes began to twinkle with happiness.

"You may very well get sick of us," Eleanor chuckled.

"Never," Blair shook her head.

"Take her home, Charles, and wait on her hand and foot," Eleanor instructed her daughter's husband.

"I will," he nodded as he kissed his mother-in-law's cheek before he took Blair's hand and guided her towards the elevator.

Once settled in the limo, Chuck asked, "Were you still wanting tacos?"

"Maybe later," she replied as she nudged her nose into his chest, inhaling his natural scent and soaking in the raw attraction she had to this man. "Chuck?"

"Yes, Blair," he prompted her.

"Do you find me sexy right now?" she asked as she began toying with one of his buttons.

"I always find you sexy," he assured me.

"Even though I've unloaded my stomach twice this morning," she pouted.

"I always find you sexy," he repeated as he pulled her into his lap so she was straddling him.

"Make love to me," she whispered, "Right here, right now."

"We'll be home in less than five minutes," he reminded her, "I need more time than that."

Blair turned around to lower the glass partition, "Arthur, drive around Central Park a few times. Chuck and I need a few extra minutes."

"As you wish, Mrs. Bass," Arthur smirked into the rearview mirror as Blair raised the partition and returned her attentions to her husband, "Now where were we?"

**TBC. . .**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**I have two gigantic thank yous to hand out. One to my terrific beta, thank you Lori! One to all of you still reading this - thank you!**

"I wasn't sure you'd be accepting visitors yet," Serena bit her lip as Blair made her way to the foyer after being informed by their recently hired maid that she had a visitor.

"You aren't a visitor, S," Blair replied as she went to embrace her best friend, but surprisingly was shrugged off, "You're family. You never need an invitation."

"Yes, but I figured you'd still be on your honeymoon," Serena explained as she fidgeted where she stood, "I don't want to interrupt that."

"We need a breather every now and then," Blair shrugged her shoulders, "I promise that you weren't interrupting anything too important. We were actually getting ready for our appointments."

"Appointments?" Serena inquired.

"I have an appointment with my obstetrician, and Chuck has an appointment with a new psychologist," Blair explained, "He isn't comfortable with the one that he was seeing."

"Even during your honeymoon, you're making doctors' appointments?" Serena inquired.

"It's kind of important for Chuck's mental health, and that of our baby," Blair explained as she patted her belly.

"I still can't believe that you're having a baby," Serena smiled.

"It took awhile for it to sink in with me too," Blair nodded, "But the food cravings and morning sickness has helped make it feel more real."

"Is Chuck's cologne still making you nauseous?" Serena inquired.

"No," Blair shook her head, "Only because he's not wearing it. Other smells have taken its place, and there is no consistency…As long as you're here, did you want to see the progress that the construction workers are making on your bedroom? I'll need your input for the color scheme."

"Actually that's the reason that I'm here," Serena stated as she bit her lip nervously.

"What's with the nervous tick?" Blair inquired as she studied her friend's curious posture. She couldn't recall a time in which she'd seen her so nervous, "It's just me."

"I've been doing some thinking," Serena started.

"I hope you didn't hurt yourself," Blair snickered.

Serena glared at her before she continued, "With you and Chuck just getting married and now expecting a baby together, it's probably not a good idea for me to move in here. You two have enough going on. If I move in, I'm bound to see a whole lot more than Chuck's backside, and I just don't think my psyche could ever flush that out."

"Honestly, we've been pretty content with our bedroom," Blair replied.

"We both know that won't last," Serena replied, "I've talked to my mom. Dan is moving to London, so I'm going to stay with her until I can find my own place. I've come to realize that it's time for me to strike out on my own. If I'm going to figure out who I am and what type of relationship I'm looking for, I need to start relying a bit more on myself."

"If you feel like you'd be intruding, don't worry about it. Chuck and I agreed that you're welcome here," Blair stated.

"And when the baby comes, I might take you up on that because I want to be there to help you adjust to motherhood like we always promised each other we would, but right now I need to let you enjoy adjusting to married life. I'm pretty confident that you don't need my help with that," Serena smirked.

"We'll set aside a room just for you," Blair replied, "Just in case Humphrey risks a return engagement or for any other reason you find yourself in need of a place to crash."

"Thanks, B," Serena replied as she hugged her best friend, "I'd better get going. I'm meeting my mother soon, and we're going to start looking for my new place."

"If you need a second opinion, or third rather, let me know," Blair replied.

"I will," Serena nodded, "And let me know how your doctor's appointment goes. I want to be kept completely in the loop when it comes to my niece or nephew."

"Absolutely," Blair nodded.

"Oh, and one more thing," Serena stated as she reached into her purse for the gift she'd had specially made for the baby and handed it to Blair.

"I love my Auntie Serena," Blair read off the tiny onesie she held in her hands, "It's perfect. I love it."

"Now I really have to go," Serena replied, "When you and Chuck are done with your honeymoon, give me a call. We can have lunch and then have one of our epic shopping sprees. After all, we'll need to start shopping for that new addition."

"I will," Blair replied as she hugged Serena before showing her to the door.

"Did Serena leave already?" Chuck inquired as he came ambling down the stairs, "I figured she'd have her bags in hand, ready to move in."

"Actually, she's decided to live with Lily until she can find her own place," Blair explained as she stepped towards him and fixed the knot in his tie.

"Serena is going to live on her own," Chuck's eyes showed his surprise.

"She says that it's time to figure out who she is, so she can then figure out what type of relationship she's looking for," Blair explained.

"She's really serious about settling down, isn't she," Chuck realized.

"I think she's afraid that because I'm married now that she's going to be left in the dust," Blair theorized.

"I hope keeping up with you isn't the only reason she's looking to settle down," Chuck stated.

"It might be part of it, but I don't think that's all of it," Blair replied, "I think she's genuinely ready. Not to change the subject or anything, but look at this adorable little outfit Serena gave the baby."

"I love my Auntie Serena," he chuckled as she held the onesie up for him to read, "We should get an adult size one that says 'Nate loves Serena'."

"I thought he was still dating that cougar," Blair stated.

"He is," Chuck nodded, "But I don't think for much longer."

"Yeah, I didn't think that was going to be a permanent relationship for him. Frankly I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did," she stated.

"Are you ready to leave?" Chuck inquired, "Your appointment is in half an hour, and with traffic…"

"I just need my shoes and purse," she replied.

"I'll go get them," he offered, "I move a bit quicker than you do."

"Being pregnant hasn't slowed me up yet," she pouted.

"I wasn't referring to your pregnancy," he replied, "I'm referring to your inability to decide which shoes to wear with your dress. You've tried on nearly every pair you own this morning."

"Get used to it, Bass," she told him, "I'm a woman. That's what we do. You knew what you were getting into when you married me. This is part of those vows you made."

"I don't recall a vow about having to wait for hours for you to make a decision on which shoe to wear with which outfit," he replied, "Maybe we'll have to watch the wedding video to be sure. That entire day is a bit of a blur for me."

"Was it so awful that you blocked it out?" she pouted.

"No, it was that fantastic and overwhelming," he corrected her, "I couldn't absorb it all properly. I do remember being pronounced husband and wife, so the most important part of the day was retained."

"Go get my shoes," she scolded him, "And we're watching the wedding video when we get home. I remember that day with perfect clarity, so I need you to remember it the same way."

"All I needed was for it to be the perfect day for you," he replied.

"And it was," she replied, "But it would be more perfect if my husband remembered it as well."

"You're just looking for an excuse to watch the wedding video," he chuckled, "It's okay to admit. It's just me, your husband."

"Go get my shoes," she commanded him, "We're going to be late."

"Yes, Dear," he chuckled.

* * *

"Hello, Mister and Mrs. Bass," the obstetrician greeted the pair as she came into the exam room, "First let me congratulate the two of you on your nuptials."

"Thank you," Blair smiled.

"I read all about your wedding in the society pages," the doctor continued on, "Sounded like an affair to remember."

"For one of us at least," Blair muttered as she glared at her husband.

"So, how have things been going with your pregnancy?" the doctor inquired, "From our earlier conversations, we're approaching eighteen weeks. Have you felt any movement by the baby?"

"Not yet," Blair shook her head, "That's okay, isn't it? That doesn't mean there is anything wrong, does it?"

"It's actually very common for first time mothers," the doctor assured her, "We'll know more when we have the sonogram, but I'm sure everything is just fine. You haven't been having any unusual pains or spotting, have you?"

"No," Blair shook her head quickly, "Other than it feeling like my belly suddenly exploded, but that's not so much a feeling as an observation when I look in the mirror."

"You're not that big," Chuck chimed in, "It's noticeable only to those that know you well and are looking for it."

"It happens to every pregnant woman eventually," her doctor laughed, "How has everything else been going? Any nausea?"

"Some," Blair nodded, "At first it was Chuck's cologne that set me off, now it's other smells, but I'm keeping a journal like you asked."

"That's good to hear," the doctor stated as she urged Blair to lay back.

Chuck grasped her hand as he sat on a stool just off to her side, giving her a reassuring smile as he brought her hand to his lips.

The room was silent for several torturous minutes as the doctor went about the exam.

"Have you two talked about whether or not you want to know the sex of your baby?" the doctor inquired, mercifully breaking the silence in the room.

"We want to know," Blair stated just as Chuck replied with, "We want to wait."

"I want to find out," Blair pouted as she stuck out her bottom lip.

"I want to wait," was Chuck's retort.

"That sounds like a no," the doctor chuckled softly.

"I guess we have a bit of negotiating to do," Chuck told the doctor.

"Sounds like it," the doctor nodded, "I'll let the technician know. You may not be able to agree upon knowing the sex, but I'm sure you'll both want to hear the baby's heartbeat."

"Yes, definitely," Blair nodded as Chuck bobbed his head up and down along with her.

"We'll even make a recording for you, which can be sent directly to your phone or email, so you can hear it whenever you want," the doctor explained.

"That would be wonderful," Blair proclaimed.

"Sit tight, I'll be back in a minute," the doctor stated as she left the room.

"I want to know, Chuck," Blair moaned the moment they were alone.

"And I want to wait," he held firm.

"No, Chuck," she pouted, "I want to start shopping for gender appropriate items."

"And I want to be surprised in the delivery room when we hold our little bundle of joy for the first time," he replied.

"No," she drew out her moan.

"Is that the best response you have?" he chuckled.

"Please," she tried to put an extra ounce of sugar into her voice as she batted her lashes.

"We obviously need to discuss this further," Chuck replied.

"There is nothing to discuss," she insisted, "I want to know."

"How is that fair?" he inquired.

"It's fair to me," she responded.

"It's not just you anymore, remember," he told her as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly, "It's not even just us anymore. We have to find a way to compromise on this."

"That's an extremely mature answer," she sighed, "Damn it."

"And the first compromise we should make is to save this discussion for another day," Chuck offered.

"I can agree to that," she nodded, "But don't think for a minute that I'm going to just forget about this."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he chuckled as the pout took up residence on her face again as the doctor and sonogram technician came into the room.

"Was there a compromise made regarding knowing the baby's sex?" the doctor inquired as the technician began setting everything up.

"We've agreed to discuss that at a future date," Blair replied.

"Alright," the doctor nodded.

"But we do want those recordings of the heartbeat," Blair added.

The technician squeezed the gel onto Blair's stomach and pressed the scanner to her belly. Suddenly the sounds of the baby's heartbeat filled the room. Blair's eyes suddenly were shimmering with happiness.

"It's so fast," Blair remarked, "Is that too fast?"

"Sounds just right," the doctor replied.

"And here's your baby," the technician stated as the black and white image appeared on the monitor.

"That's our baby," Blair got a little misty eyed as she reached out to touch the monitor, "Is that the head?"

"It certainly is," the technician nodded as she moved the scanner around to get several different angles.

"Looks like we have a shy baby today," the doctor observed as she looked at the monitor over the technician's shoulder, "We wouldn't have been able to tell the baby's sex even if you wanted to know."

"That doesn't sound like a Bass baby," Chuck laughed, "That must be the Waldorf coming out."

Blair reached out to smack his shoulder.

"As promised, we're recording this. We can burn you a copy on a disc for you to watch, and we will send the audio recording to your cell phone," the doctor explained.

"Thank you," Blair replied as she continued to trace the monitor, "That baby looks okay?"

"The baby looks perfectly healthy," the doctor assured her.

"But the baby hasn't kicked yet," Blair replied.

"Which is very common for first time mothers," the doctor replied. "Mrs. Bass, if there was something to be worrying about, I would tell you so."

"Okay," Blair nodded as the technician handed her a towel to wipe the gel off her belly. Chuck snatched the towel before Blair could and did it for her, gently caressing her belly as he cleaned her up. Blair gave him an adoring smile.

"Sit tight for a few minutes," the doctor stated, "We'll have that disc burned for you in no time."

"Thank you," Chuck replied as the technician and doctor left them alone in the exam room for a few minutes.

"We made this, Chuck," Blair marveled as she rubbed circles into her belly, "This seemed more real today than it has any day since we found out we were pregnant."

"For me too," he nodded as he kissed her cheek.

"Thank you, Chuck," she replied.

"For?" he prompted her.

"For getting me pregnant," Blair explained, "I never knew how much I wanted to have a baby until I found out I was having one."

"Then I should be thanking you as well," he replied as he kissed her cheek again, "Because I never knew how much I wanted you to have my baby until we found out you were having one."

"I love you, Chuck," Blair replied as her phone suddenly alerted her to a new text message. She fiddled with it for a few moments as she was still trying to get the hang of her replacement phone for the one she smashed at the groom's dinner. Suddenly the heartbeat they'd heard during the sonogram was replaying on her phone.

"I love you, Blair," he stated as she pressed the play button again and again, replaying their child's heartbeat over and over again.

**TBC. . .**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Come on, Baby, it's Mama, it's time to kick," Blair tried to coax her child into providing some movement she could feel. "Come on, I know you can do it, kick. Doesn't my bladder look like a good target to kick?"

"Blair, what are you doing?" Chuck inquired as he stumbled into the nursery with an exhausted yawn. His hair was sticking up every which way and there were a few deep creases in his skin from the bed sheets. He looked adorable.

"I'm nearly nineteen weeks along," she told him, "And I have yet to feel this baby kick. I'm giving him or her permission to get a good whack in."

"Blair, the baby will kick when he or she is good and ready," he replied as he went to kneel next to her, "We just went to the doctor just a week ago. She said everything was fine. She played the heartbeat for you. You even have it programmed into your phone so that you can hear it whenever you want."

"I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop," she sighed, "Things have been too perfect lately. I just can't help but worry that when things balance out, it's going to be something to do with the baby."

"Sweetheart, we are doing everything right," he told her, "You're eating healthy. You're taking your vitamins. You're doing pregnancy yoga. Everything that you can do, you're doing. We've both read the books. It can take awhile to feel the baby move, especially for a first child. If there was something wrong, the doctor said she would have told us."

"You think I'm being silly," she concluded.

"I think you are worrying about something that doesn't need to be worried about. This baby is going to start kicking soon enough, and when he or she does they are going to make up for lost time. Just relax," he encouraged her.

"Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" she glared at him, "My Chuck is just as prone to overreaction as I am."

"I'm thinking about my family's wellbeing right now," he told her as he caressed her stomach rhythmically, "The more you stress out about this, the more stress the baby feels. That's not good for either of you."

"You make a lot of sense," she sighed before she threw in a curse, "Dang it."

"Dang it?" he chuckled in amusement, "What happened to damn it?"

"We're parents now. We need to keep it PG," she replied.

"Oh, Beautiful, you'll have to accept that there will always be some aspects of our lives that are going to be rated R," he lifted a suggestive eyebrow as he smirked while he moved slowly to untie the knot of her robe.

"You mean NC-17," she smirked along with him.

"Come on, you have a few hours before you meet Serena to have one of your epic shopping adventures with my credit card," he stated as he lifted her into his arms, "And I could use one of our NC-17 sessions before I go see my therapist."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" she inquired as he carried her back to their bedroom, "I can cancel on Serena."

"It's just another introductory meeting," he replied.

"Still, I should be waiting for you in the waiting room when you're finished," she insisted.

"It's very thoughtful of you, but I insist that you have fun with Serena," he stated as he laid her out on their bed, "You don't know how many more trips like this you'll have left in you before you start waddling around."

"You jerk," she pushed on his shoulder as her eyes widened with outrage. "Just for that I am going shopping with Serena, and I'm going to max out that credit card of yours with ridiculously frivolous things that I don't want or need. And none of them will have any benefits that you find enjoyable."

"Yes, that will teach me a lesson," he chuckled.

"Basstard," she admonished him.

"I love it when you talk rough," he smirked triumphantly.

* * *

"Look at you with your baby bump," Serena chuckled as she caressed Blair's stomach as they met up for their day of shopping.

"I've had this baby bump for a few weeks. Why is it that people are only now starting to see it?" Blair inquired.

"Maybe because you're starting to wear clothes that show that you have a baby bump instead of clothes that hide it," Serena offered.

"What was I supposed to do, wear muumuus until I give birth?" Blair scoffed.

"So we'll call that mood swing number one," Serena teased.

"I need new friends," Blair sighed.

"Come on, you love me and you know it," Serena chuckled, not taking Blair's words seriously.

"And I constantly ask myself why," Blair added.

"So, Chuck handed over his credit card. I say we start with Pucci," Serena suggested.

"What exactly am I going to be shopping for at Pucci?" Blair inquired as she glared at her best friend, "They don't exactly cater to the expectant mother. I say we start at Bergdorf's."

"Bergdorf's it is," Serena agreed as she linked her arm with Blair's and walked along New York's famed Fifth Avenue. "So what is Chuck up to today?"

"He's meeting with a new therapist," Blair replied.

"Another one?" Serena inquired, "Mom says that is like the fifth new therapist since you two got married. Shouldn't he have found one by now that works for him?"

"The last therapist called him a disgusting pig of a man," Blair stated, "Apparently Chuck nailed his daughter once, and he was still holding a grudge."

"Imagine that," Serena rolled her eyes dramatically.

"It's been harder than we both thought finding him a therapist that he feels comfortable with and feels like he has his best interests at heart," Blair replied.

"But this can't be healthy for him either. If he's always having first meetings with these people, how is he getting the therapy that he needs?" Serena inquired.

"I've been playing therapist," Blair replied, "By no means am I qualified, but I make him talk to me about what's going on in his head. Mostly it's about how he's feeling about becoming a father, but we mix in some other issues. It's actually been very educational. There are things going on in Chuck's head that I never knew about."

"If it's about sex, you're under no obligation to share," Serena replied.

"I would never share the details of our sessions!" Blair exclaimed, "That's privileged information between the patient and his therapist."

"I think you'd actually have to be a licensed therapist for that to apply," Serena stated.

"Then it's privileged between a husband and his wife," Blair amended, "How about we skip the Blair and Chuck portion of this conversation and move on to Serena? Chuck and I are boring. It's just nonstop sex and baby talk anyways."

"Yes, by all means, let's skip the sex part," Serena agreed, "But we still haven't talked about the baby yet. How was your appointment last week? Did you find out if I'm having a niece or nephew yet?"

"No," Blair shook her head, "Chuck and I haven't come to an agreement on if we want to know or not. Until we do, neither of us gets our way."

"Well technically one of you is getting your way," Serena amended, "I'm guessing that it's Chuck. He really doesn't want to know?"

"What makes you so sure it's Chuck that doesn't want to know?" Blair inquired in defense of her husband.

"Because you're you," Serena stated, "I know it has to be driving you nuts not to know if you're having a boy or a girl."

"It is literally keeping me awake at night," Blair confessed, "I mean, either way, it's going to be amazing. If we have a little boy, I get to dress him up in little designer suits like his daddy and put him in sailor outfits and those cute little denim overalls. If we have a girl, I get those frilly little dresses and 'I love my Daddy' onesies. I just want to know which I can start buying."

"Why don't you buy both," Serena suggested, "You can always return what you don't use."

"No, I'll wait," Blair sighed, "I'm fairly confident that I'll wear Chuck down eventually. I happen to be pretty persuasive."

"Everything else went okay at the doctors?" Serena inquired.

"Yes," she nodded with a smile, "We got to hear the baby's heartbeat, and then they sent a recording of it to our phones so that we can listen to it whenever we want. I swear I've about worn my recording out already."

"I want to hear," Serena demanded.

"Give me a few minutes," Blair replied as she began fiddling with her cell phone, "I still can't work this damn thing… I mean darn thing."

"Well you were the one that smashed your phone to pieces at the groom's dinner, so you have no one but yourself to blame," Serena teased.

"Best thing I ever did," Blair stated, "No more darn Gossip Girl blasts. My life is much more peaceful now, and I find that I'm much more self confident when I'm not worried about what she could possibility be posting about me next."

"Once the news of your pregnancy went public, she hasn't had anything really to post," Serena replied, "Actually, she's been pretty boring lately, and now that Diana's website was launched as kind of a rival to hers, she doesn't really have the scoop anymore."

"So it's Diana now," Blair stated, "I thought she was merely the cougar with her claws in Nate."

"I guess I never really gave her a chance," Serena conceded, "The few times we've met, she seemed to be a very lovely woman, and she actually seems to care about getting the facts straight when publishing her stories. We never could say that about Gossip Girl."

"So does that mean you've stopped giving Nate grief for dating her?" Blair inquired.

"She's too old for him," Serena still insisted, "What future do the two of them have? I mean really?"

"Chuck says that Nate is pretty smitten with her," Blair stated.

"He's getting sex regularly with a smoking hot woman, of course he's smitten," Serena scoffed.

"You sound jealous, S," Blair informed her.

"I am not!" Serena exclaimed.

"Yes, you are," Blair chuckled, "And honestly I'm a little surprised that there hasn't been a Nate and Serena redux. You two were looking pretty cozy at my wedding reception."

"Honestly, I thought we were heading for a reconciliation myself, but then Diana returned to town, and she couldn't get Nate out of his pants fast enough," Serena replied, "I actually stopped by to see his office because he was so proud of it. I walked in on the two of them. It was mortifying to see her long legs wrapped around his bare ass."

"There's an image that is going to haunt me for the rest of the day," Blair cringed as she continued to fiddle with her phone.

"Think how I feel," Serena stated, "I saw it in Technicolor."

"Yes, I imagine you are thoroughly scarred," Blair stated as she finally found what she was looking for on her phone, "How about a little baby heartbeat to cheer you up?"

"Yes, please," Serena requested.

Blair played the recording as Serena listened.

"Wow, it's so fast," Serena replied, "Is it supposed to sound like that?"

"Yes," Blair nodded as she played it again.

"B, I can't believe that sound is coming from something inside your body," Serena stated as she snatched Blair's phone out of her hands and quickly forwarded the recording to her own phone, "If Chuck has only done one thing right in his life, inseminating you has to be it."

"That's not the only thing he's done right," Blair stated as she snatched her phone back.

"But if you had to choose, it would be that," Serena stated.

"Well, maybe, but I'm not choosing," Blair replied, "Now let's get shopping. I have instructions not to return home until Chuck's credit card is smoking."

"Whose instructions are those?" Serena inquired as she watched Blair pull out a credit card and wave it around.

"Mine," Blair smiled triumphantly.

* * *

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," Blair cursed at her front door as she scoured her purse to find the keys to her front door. "Sorry, Baby, but Mommy is bumping up the ratings here because she can't find her damn keys. I know I put them in here when I left this morning."

Finally haven't her fill of searching through her purse, she decided to dump the contents of it on the limestone steps at her feet. Still no keys.

"I know I had them," Blair insisted as she began kicking around the contents to spread it out, hoping that something was covering them. Still nothing. "Mommy has to find those keys."

"Blair, are you talking to yourself?" Chuck inquired as he startled her by opening their front door having heard voices as he passed through the entryway.

"I can't find my keys," she pouted as she motioned towards her belongings on the ground, "I dumped out my purse to try and find them. They aren't there, and I'm just realizing that I'm too pregnant to bend over and pick everything up."

"You aren't that pregnant," Chuck assured her, "But don't worry, I'll pick everything up for you."

"I still can't find my keys, Chuck. Now we're going to have to change the locks because they could be anywhere between here and Fifth Avenue," she informed him, "This is one of the advantages of having a doorman and living in an apartment that has an elevator for a door. I've never lost my keys before."

"It's not a big deal," he assured her as he bent over to gather the contents in her purse. He was amused to find an unused condom on the ground. He held it up to her for review. "You obviously didn't have this with the night of the bar mitzvah."

"Obviously not," she rubbed at her pregnant belly, "Thank goodness for small miracles."

"Did you and Serena enjoy the perks of my credit card?" he inquired as he stuffed everything back into her purse and then traded the purse for all of the other shopping bags she was carrying.

"When I wasn't stopping to go to the bathroom, yes," she sighed in mild annoyance, "This kid may not be kicking my bladder, but I think he or she is sitting on it. I had to pee about once an hour. You could literally set your watch by my need to empty my bladder."

"We'll have to try that later," he chuckled.

"I'm not amused," she glared at him as she stepped into their entryway.

Chuck followed her, but just as he was about to shut the door something caught his eyes. "Um, Blair," Chuck motioned her attention towards the door lock.

"Great," she threw up her hands in forfeit as Chuck reached for the keys that were hanging from the lock, "Now I have pregnancy brain too."

"Look on the bright side," he chuckled as he handed her the keys, "At least now we don't need to change the locks."

"How was your session with the new therapist?" she inquired as she kicked off her shoes and left them in the entryway for their housekeeper to pick up.

"Probably one of the more productive meetings I've had with a therapist since this diagnosis was first made," he responded.

"So this one might be a keeper," she concluded, "That's good."

"I left the session with the sense of accomplishment," he nodded, "That's the first time I've been able to say that."

"Good," she replied as she patted his chest affectionately, "Will you take those things upstairs? Arthur should be back with the limo in a few minutes with the rest. I sent him on an errand for me."

"There's more?" his eyes went wide in surprise.

"Do you know how good Serena is at spending other people's money?" she replied, "She has this gift of finding the most expensive items in the store that I for some reason found that I had to have. Every time I came back from the bathroom she was holding something else up."

"What's the errand you sent Arthur on?" he inquired as he followed her up the stairs to their bedroom.

"I'm craving one of those salty soft pretzels," she replied, "And those hot mustard packets that go with them."

"I would have gotten that for you if you'd asked," Chuck stated.

"I know," she nodded, "But as he was helping me with my bags out front he asked if there was anything else I needed. I needed a soft pretzel, so I asked for it."

"A soft pretzel, huh," he chuckled, "You have the sodium cravings down to a science. What happened to the sweet cravings, like ice cream and chocolate?"

"And marshmallows," she gasped suddenly as another craving hit, "Chuck, do we have any marshmallows? I want to roast a few in the fireplace and then snack on their gooeyness straight off the stick."

"I'm sorry I asked," he muttered as he placed her purchases on their bed, "I'll go check with Rosa to see if we have any marshmallows and something we can use to roast them. You lay down for a while to give your feet a rest. I can see that those ankles are beginning to swell, which means that you didn't take it nearly as easy as you promised."

"You're so sexy when you get all bossy and protective," she cooed as she kissed his lips.

"Lay down," he commanded as forcefully as he dared, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"And if you could bring me a glass of that strawberry lemonade that Rosa makes, I'd really appreciate it?" she added as he was nearly out of their bedroom.

"Yes, dear," he replied to let her know he hear her. He knew from experience that if he didn't acknowledge her, she'd keep calling out to him until he did.

* * *

"More pregnancy cravings, Mister Bass?" Rosa inquired as Chuck ambled into the kitchen on an apparent mission.

"Yes," he nodded, "Do we have any marshmallows?"

"Marshmallows?" she repeated with her Chilean accent that Chuck was starting to find endearing. She wasn't going to replace Dorota for Blair's affections, but Chuck was growing quite fond of her, especially since she helped him cater to Blair's sudden cravings. "I check."

With that she disappeared into the pantry that she kept stocked with nearly every possible food that Blair could crave as Chuck went to the refrigerator and pulled out the pitcher of strawberry lemonade that Rosa was fond of making and that Blair had become addicted to drinking. As he was pouring Blair a glass, Rosa appeared with a bag of marshmallows in her hand.

"You are a lifesaver, Rosa," Chuck smiled, "I'll throw a bonus into your wages this week if you can come up with something Blair can use to roast the marshmallows on."

Rosa walked over to one of the utensil drawers and rifled through it until she pulled out several long wooden skewers sticks. "These will work?"

"They certainly will," he smirked victoriously.

"I start on dinner, Mister Bass?" she inquired.

"Yes, please," he nodded, "Blair doesn't know it but I invited Nathaniel and Serena for dinner."

"I make extra special dinner then," Rosa assured him.

"And make sure that Serena and Nathaniel are seating on opposite sides of the table," Chuck added, "Serena has a tendency to become abusive when Nate sticks his foot in his mouth, and he's been doing that a lot lately."

"I keep separate," Rosa nodded.

"I'd better get back to Blair before she has yet another craving," he replied as he grasped the bag of marshmallows and the sticks in one hand and the glass of lemonade in the other, "Thank you as always, Rosa."

"You welcome, Mister Bass," she replied as she bowed ever so slightly as he left the kitchen.

"Perfect timing, Arthur," Chuck stated as his chauffeur appeared in the entryway with several shopping bags and the pretzel Blair had requested.

"Where shall I put the bags?" the driver asked.

"Just set them here in the hall," Chuck replied, "I'll have Rosa see to them."

"And here is Mrs. Bass's pretzel," Arthur stated as he held the pretzel up for Chuck. Somehow he managed to get a grasp on it and juggle it with everything else he was carrying. "I thought Mrs. Bass might change her mind, so I made sure that all the possible toppings were included."

"Excellent foresight, thank you," Chuck replied, "Take the rest of the evening off. I don't see Blair or myself leaving tonight."

"Thank you," he nodded as he watched Chuck ascend the staircase.

"I have both salty and sweet cravings," Chuck announced his presence as he returned to the bedroom.

"Good, because we're hungry," Blair stated as she rose from the bed and snatched the glass of lemonade from his hands and took a long drink.

"What shall we eat first, the pretzel or the marshmallows?" he inquired as he dangled each option in front of her.

"What's this we nonsense?" Blair asked as she snatched the pretzel bag, "I hope you don't think I'm sharing my pretzel with you."

"I lost my head," he chuckled, "By all means, enjoy."

"Wait, hold that thought," Blair stated as she threw the pretzel back at him and darted towards the bathroom with her hand over her mouth.

Chuck sat the pretzel and marshmallows down and walked over to the fireplace and flipped the switch. He desperately wanted to go to her, but his experience over the past month had taught him to let her have her space when she went through her bouts of morning sickness. They embarrassed her enough as it was because of her history with bulimia.

"Keep telling me that this is normal," Blair replied as she emerged from the bathroom after gargling with the last of her mouthwash.

"I've read that the sicker you get, the healthier the baby will be," Chuck replied.

"Then this is going to be the healthiest baby in the universe," she grumbled as she plopped herself down on the bed, "You need to buy me more mouthwash."

"I'll head right out," he replied, "Are you still wanting the pretzel and marshmallows?"

"Yes," she nodded as she snatched the pretzel out of his hands, "And bring back some pineapple since you're going to the store."

"Pineapple and mouthwash," Chuck nodded, "Anything else?"

"Anything else that might catch your eye," Blair smiled, "Just nothing with a strong odor, okay… or with breasts."

"Got it," he replied as he kissed her forehead. "I'll be back soon. If you think of anything else, call my cell."

"I love you, Chuck," she cooed through her first mouthful of the pretzel.

"I love you too," he replied as he left the room.

"Mister Bass, I have dinner in oven," Rosa announced as Chuck was grabbing his coat.

"Thank you, Rosa. I'm going out for a few minutes to get Blair a few items. If Serena or Nate arrives, keep them occupied until I get back. I still haven't told Blair about dinner, and I'd rather not have Serena or Nathaniel spring it on her."

"Yes, Mister Bass," Rosa nodded.

"I'll be back shortly," Chuck replied as he left the manor. He mentally cursed himself when he remembered that he'd just given Arthur the rest of the evening off. He should have known better. As he made his way down the steps, he contemplated his options – walk to the store or hail a taxi. The decision was quickly made for him as a taxi approached. His hand was only half way up when the taxi came to a screeching halt in front of him.

He paid extra to keep the taxi waiting for him as he wandered the aisles of the grocery store looking for the two items Blair needed and anything else he thought could strike her fantasy later. He was on his way to the cab when a toy vending machine came in to view. He hadn't recalled seeing one in years, not that he'd ever really looked to find one. On a whim, he took a glance. A gigantic smile spread across his face as he found the item he was looking for. He quickly went back to the checkout counter and asked the lady to exchange his ten dollar bill for a roll of quarters. As he went through quarter after quarter, the item of his desire still hadn't appeared. It took one and a half roles of quarters before the trinket finally popped out. He pocketed the prize pod and then handed the rejected prizes to the nearest few kids he could find.

* * *

"You look like the cat that ate the canary," Blair observed as he appeared with her container of fresh pineapple and mouthwash in his hands. "What did you do?"

"What makes you think I did anything?" he inquired.

"Because you practically have yellow feathers coming out of your mouth," she replied. "So whatever you did, just tell me so that we can start toasting these marshmallows and pineapple."

"Remember those vending machines that Serena used to pump coins into all the time when we were kids to get those tacky stick on temporary tattoos?" he inquired.

"Yes," she laughed, "She actually managed to convince Lily that one of them was real. It wasn't until she was in the dermatologist's office to get a laser treatment to remove the tattoo that she ended the ruse. Lily was really mad at her."

"I remember a certain brunette that pumped in a few of her own quarters," Chuck replied.

"I never got anything I ever wanted," she frowned, "Except this one time. It was a plastic, pink barrette with a pink bow glued on it. Serena helped put it in my hair. That was the start of my trademark bows. I wore it almost every day for a month, until it broke. What a piece of junk."

"You loved that bow," he reminded her, "You were devastated when it broke."

"You and Nate laughed at me. You said that I was being ridiculous about something that could easily be replaced," she scrunched up her face in a pout, "We went to every vending machine for blocks that we could find. I never found another one to replace it."

Chuck pulled a plastic pod out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"You found one!" Blair exclaimed as she popped the lid on the pod open and snatched the barrette out to admire it. "I can't believe you found one, after all these years."

"I was lucky," he replied.

"How many quarters did you pump into the machine before it came out?" she inquired.

"A few," he replied.

"I want to know how much gratitude I should be repaying," she batted her eyelashes, "I can't know that until you tell me how much you spent on this."

"Nothing needs to be repaid," he assured her, "That smile on your face is quite enough."

"Are you sure?" she bit her lip, "Because I'm feeling very gratuitous."

"Just how gratuitous?" he inquired as he set his other purchases aside and stepped towards her.

"I can't answer your question until you answer mine," her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"I had to get change twice," he offered up his attempt at an explanation.

"More or less than ten dollars?" she inquired.

"More," he admitted.

"More or less that twenty dollars," she asked.

"Less," he replied, "I'm guessing I landed somewhere in between. I wasn't exactly counting."

"What did you do with all the other prizes?" she giggled.

"There were a couple of kids that are benefitting from their good timing and my generosity," he explained.

"You're turning into such a softy on me," she stated as she grabbed ahold of his tie and pulled him towards their bed.

"Quite the opposite, actually," he smirked as he spun her around and pressed himself up against her to demonstrate exactly which part of him was getting hard. Blair gasped at the feel of him against her backside. "Get on with your gratuitous ways, Mrs. Bass."

"Chuck," she moaned as she pulled him to the bed with her and proceeded to thank him for his thoughtful gift.

* * *

"After such a thoughtful gift, how could you still be such a clueless ass," she was spewing her venom as she dressed for dinner.

"You were the one that was saying just a few days ago that the four of us hadn't done anything together in ages," he tried to defend his actions.

"I've said a lot of thing in the past few days," she replied, "Why did you have to pick this one to listen to. I'm not up for entertaining. All I want are more toasted marshmallows and pineapple, not to play nice with my best friend and ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Let's not forget that on a good day those two can barely tolerate each other."

"Give Nathaniel enough scotch and he'll behave," Chuck replied.

"Is that the trick? That would have been good to know about five years ago," she responded.

"Still wouldn't have kept him from hooking up with Serena," he stated.

"Thank god for that," she replied, "I might actually have had to marry him."

"Never would have happened," Chuck stated confidently as he tempted fate and kissed her forehead, "You were destined to be mine."

"The charm isn't working on me right now," she glared at him.

"Perhaps later then," he replied, "Did you want me to call and cancel?"

"No," she sighed, "Rosa went through all the trouble of making what I'm sure is a delicious dinner. I'd hate for that food to go to waste."

"We'll feed them, make a few minutes of polite conversation, and then boot them out the door," he offered, "I'll fake the stomach flu or something."

"If this afternoon was any indication, I might not have to fake anything," Blair replied.

"You made notes in your journal, didn't you?" he reminded her.

"You took your medication today, didn't you?" she reminded him.

They both nodded as they finished getting dressed just as the doorbell rang.

"That will be Nate," Blair replied as Chuck grasped her hand and brought her down to the foyer.

"You look pregnant, Blair," Nate stated as he greeted her with a kiss to her cheek.

"Is that the polite way of saying I look fat?" Blair glared at him.

"What?" Nate fumbled for a response, "No, that's not what I mean. It's just…you didn't have…and you didn't the last time…dear god, someone help me out here."

Blair began giggling in amusement. She was having fun watching him squirm.

"Blair, that's not nice," Chuck laughed.

"Please, Chuck, let me have my fun. I only have a few more months to enjoy watching people make complete fools of themselves when they think they've insulted me," Blair pouted while batting her eyelashes at him.

"Be nice," he cautioned her.

"Ruin my fun," she continued to pout, "No cougar today, Nate?"

"She went back to London," Nate replied. There was a slight tinge in his words that tipped Chuck off.

"Permanently?" Chuck asked.

"Probably," Nate nodded, "She ended things between us. Apparently there isn't the emotional connection between us that she was looking for in a long term relationship."

"And that surprises you?" Blair inquired, "Can you honestly say that you were emotionally invested with her?"

"I was invested in the sex," Nate replied.

"Typical," Blair rolled her eyes, "You men never think about anything besides sex until forced."

"Pretty sure that's directed at you," Chuck replied as he dodged Blair's scathing glare.

"I'm talking about you too, Bass," she hit him with her scowl, "How many hookers and slutty models did you go through before I finally got you to commit to me?"

"How did I get sucked in to this?"

"So is Serena here yet?" Nate inquired as he tried to change the subject.

"Late as usual," Chuck tried to go along with the abrupt left turn the conversation had taken.

"Typical," Nate replied, "I spent over half of my relationship with her, waiting for her."

"She was probably summoning up the tolerance to deal with your nitwit ways," Blair muttered.

Chuck pressed his finger to her lips to silence her.

Blair bit down on the tip of Chuck's finger.

"Ow, Blair," Chuck hissed as he pulled his finger away quickly, examining it to see if she'd drawn blood, she hadn't.

"He's insulting my best friend, and she's not here to defend herself. Therefore it is my duty as her best friend to defend her," Blair explained, "And it is your duty as my husband to defend me."

"Even when she just bit me," his eyes narrowed.

"Who is supposed to defend me?" Nate inquired.

"Your girlfriend, oh wait, you don't have one," Blair responded smartly.

"This is the hormones talking, I hope," Nate replied.

As Blair continued to stare Nate down, Serena burst into their home without the requisite knock.

"Whoa, what am I missing?" Serena stopped in her tracks as she saw the look of anger in Blair's eyes.

"Nate putting his enormously large foot into his equally large mouth," Blair replied as her mood did a complete one eighty as a smile graced her lips, "How are you, S?"

"Sure, she's nice to Serena," Nate muttered as the two women linked arms, talking animatedly about their shopping spree from earlier that day as they made their way to the dining room.

Chuck shook his head in disbelief as he followed his wife. Nate still didn't have a clue as how to handle Blair and when to just let the situation end. He thought his wife might just spin around and slap him across the face.

"Because she likes me," Serena shot him a look as they took their seats as the table.

Chuck and Blair's efficient maid came in moments later to serve their first course.

"So, Nate, how's Diana?" Serena inquired as they began the small talk, "Her website is thoroughly entertaining."

"That's because she hasn't had anything to publish about you in weeks," he grumbled, "And she's in London, so I wouldn't know how she's doing."

"Uh oh, sounds like trouble in paradise," Serena observed.

"No paradise to trouble," Nate shook his head.

"They broke up," Blair mouthed to her friend as Nate's head fell forward to hide the tears he felt ready to spill.

"I'm sorry, Nate. I didn't know," Serena added.

"It's for the best, isn't it," Nate offered.

"That's for you decide," Serena stated, "I didn't understand your attraction to her, but if you truly care about her and see a future with her you should do whatever you need to do to convince her."

"It's for the best," Nate concluded as his eyes locked with Serena's.

Chuck and Blair's eyes locked as well. They knew what this meant. Their best friends were on a collision course to a reunion.

Chuck and Blair didn't have to chase Nate and Serena out. After dinner was served, Nate was out the door before the dishes had been cleared. Serena left a few minutes later.

"Should we start a pool as to when those two will officially reunite," Blair stated as they made their way to their bedroom. Chuck was right behind her as they made their way up the staircase one step at a time, with his arms around her waist, his hand on her belly.

"I think they'll be reunited long before they make it official," Chuck replied, "With any luck, this time it will stick."

"I think this is the time it might," Blair replied, "I think she's in a good place. She wasn't last time."

"And when he's done licking his wounds, I think he'll be ready too," Chuck agreed.

"I'm going to read to the baby for awhile. Did you want to join me?" Blair inquired as they reached the doorway to the nursery. He nodded as he ushered her inside. She looked around with a slight frown. "Something is missing."

"The baby," Chuck offered.

"Yes, that too," she smiled as she took her seat in the overstuffed chair as Chuck went to browse the book selection, "But it's missing a theme."

"What kind of theme do you think the room should have?" he inquired as he selected that night's entertainment and knelt down next to her.

"I could make the decision if I knew what gender the baby was," she batted her lashes at him.

"What about the thrill of waiting until we're in the delivery room?" he inquired.

"Chances are I'll be so exhausted from labor that the thrill won't be as exciting as you think," she replied.

"Let me think it over some more," he compromised.

"You keep putting this off," she pouted. That had been his answer every time she'd brought up the discussion that they'd started in the doctor's office. "If you put it off too long, I'll be in labor."

"That's my current plan," he smirked devilishly.

"You'd better start reading before I have the thought to smack you," she stated.

"Yes, Dear," he replied as he opened the book with one hand and placed his other hand against her belly. As he read the story, he could hear Blair whispering her encouragement to get the baby to kick. He had to stop his narration as he was laughing so hard. "Blair, what did we talk about this morning? The baby will kick when he or she is ready."

"Well, I'm ready, so kick already," she replied.

"I don't think it works like that," he stated as both of his hands found her belly as he ran his hands in circles. Finding the hem of her blouse, he lifted it away and began raining kisses.

"What was that?" Blair gasped as she felt an intense fluttering in her stomach.

"Gas," he offered.

"No, Chuck, feel that," she stated as she moved his hand off to the side.

"Is that…" his eyes widened in surprise as he felt the same thing she did.

"That's our baby," she laughed, "And like the good baby that he or she is, it's listening to mommy. Keep kicking, Baby."

"Wow," he replied as he pressed his face against her belly where the movement was the strongest, "We did that, didn't we? We made that."

"Wow," she nodded as the fluttering continued as a tear trickled down her cheek. Relief washed over her. Finally, their baby was kicking.

Chuck picked up the book and finished the story as Blair drifted off into a restful sleep.

**TBC. . .**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Someone has a birthday coming up," Chuck stated as he brought Blair breakfast in bed just a few days before her birthday.

"Don't remind me," she grumbled as she set aside the magazine she'd been reading as she waited patiently for her meal to be delivered. She'd sent Chuck on one of her special craving runs. She'd been craving The Plaza Omelet from the hotel of the same name. It wasn't her most unusual cravings for which Chuck was grateful. Some of her cravings had him going to seedy parts of New York that had him and Arthur fearing for their safety.

"What should we do to mark your first birthday as my wife?" he inquired as he set the tray in front of her that he'd carried upstairs.

"Can we just skip the entire day?" she sighed, "I don't want anything special."

"That doesn't sound like my wife," he chuckled, "Was she kidnapped by aliens and replaced by a robot?"

"I'm serious," she replied, "Having our family here on Thanksgiving is enough for me. I don't need anything else."

"Says the woman that has set aside lavish jewels every year so that she would get exactly what she wanted," he chuckled, "And Serena happened to mention that you ventured into a few jewelry stores on your last shopping trip."

"Serena has a big mouth," Blair huffed as she dug into her dish.

"If you want a low key birthday, it's okay to tell me," he replied, "But I'm going to ask for a reason why."

"Look at me, Chuck," she pointed straight to her belly, "I'm huge. This isn't an image that I want to show the world."

"You're pregnant," he reminded her as he caressed her belly, "It's nothing to be ashamed of or to hide away."

"I'm not ashamed," she insisted, "I just don't feel comfortable being the center of attention right now."

"That is something that we need to fix," he replied, "Because I happen to think that you're the most beautiful woman in the world right now."

"You keep saying that," she sighed, "The more you say it, the less I believe it."

"How can I convince you that these are my genuine feelings?" he inquired.

"You can't," she snapped, "So don't waste your time."

"Nothing regarding you is a waste of time," he replied.

"Seriously, Chuck, if you plan something for me against my will, I will cause damage to a certain body part of yours that you are extremely fond of," she scowled.

"Is this one of those warnings you secretly want me to ignore?" he eyed her skeptically.

"No," she shook her head, "This is one of those clear cut instructions. I don't want a party or a dinner with our family. I want this to be a low key, no fuss birthday. I have the baby shower next month and then Christmas a week later. That will be enough."

"I can give you anything your heart desires, but I want you to promise me this is what you want," he requested.

"I promise that I don't want any fuss," she vowed, "Do you want me to sign a contract or something?"

"We will celebrate your birthday alone," Chuck replied as he kissed her forehead.

"Good," she smiled as she forked another bite of her meal and held it up to him, "Did you want a bite?"

"I'd hate to interrupt the pregnant woman, go ahead," he chuckled.

"You're going to pay for that comment later, Bass," she glared at him.

"I hope so," he winked.

* * *

"Thank you for helping me with this," Chuck stated as he handed Blair's birthday surprise supplies to Serena.

"I still can't believe that she didn't want a party this year," Serena pouted, "Are you sure you didn't misunderstand her request?"

"She left no room for interpretation," Chuck replied.

"I'm still giving her a gift," Serena insisted.

"I'm sure she would insist on it," he chuckled, "Now you're supposed to meet Ms. Hennessy in half an hour, and she'll show you to the roof. Do you remember how I want everything set up?"

"This is a tad insulting, Chuck," Serena glared at him, "You've told me three times and even drew me a diagram. Even Nate couldn't screw this up."

"I just need this to be perfect. I royally messed this up once. I need to make this up to her," Chuck insisted.

"Everything is going to be perfect," Serena assured him, "And for the record, I think this is such a sweet idea."

"Thank you," he stated, "Now go before she sees you here. This is supposed to be a surprise."

"I wasn't here," Serena replied as she darted out the door, completely forgetting the supplies she'd come for. He was holding them out for her when she burst back into his home. "Minor hiccup. Don't worry about it, I have everything under control."

"I should have called Dorota," Chuck muttered to himself as she left once more.

"Chuck, do we really have to go out," Blair moaned as she waddled down the steps moments later, "I was hoping that we could just stay here, watch my favorite Audrey movie, eat some popcorn, and then make love."

"It's your birthday," Chuck reminded her, "I've honored your request about not having a big party or family gathering, but I am going to insist that we make a tiny bit of fuss. Go get dressed. We need to leave in an hour, and it will take you that long to get ready."

"I wish you'd tell me where we're going," she pouted as she turned to make the trek back up their staircase, "I don't want to be under or overdressed."

"You won't be," he assured her as he lightly tapped her backside, "Now go."

"I like spanking," she turned to wink at him, "Can we try that later?"

"Go," he urged her with a chuckle.

* * *

"Chuck, I can't see anything," Blair moaned as her hands covered the blindfold that he'd put over her eyes as soon as they were comfortably seated in their limo. They'd just arrived at their mysterious destination, and she'd heard Arthur open the vehicle door.

"That is the idea," he told her as he carefully helped her from the vehicle.

"If you're bringing me to a surprise party full of people you promised not invite, I can promise that you'll live to regret it," she warned him.

"I swear that I've lived up to my agreement," he vowed as he ushered her towards the building.

"Hello, Mister and Mrs. Bass," they were greeted by a cheerful voice, "Everything has been arranged as you requested. Please follow me."

"You arranged something," she tried to glare at him through the blindfold.

"You wouldn't want me to wing it, would you?" he chuckled.

"Depends on what you've arranged," she replied as she was ushered into what she thought to be an elevator that quickly started to rise and rise and rise. They just kept going up and up. "Are we in Willy Wonka's elevator or something?"

"Patience," he whispered in her ear as he stepped in behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

After what felt like the longest ride of her life, the elevator came to a stop.

"If you need anything, Mister Bass, please let us know," the woman that had greeted them earlier stated.

"I will," Chuck nodded towards the helpful woman as he guided Blair off the elevator.

"Can you remove this blindfold now?" she demanded as he placed her in a specific spot and then went about putting the final touches on their evening.

"Just another minute, I promise," he vowed as he quickly lit the candles and popped the cork on their sparkling cider and poured two glasses.

"Chuck, making a pregnant woman wait is not the best way to get on her good side. You've suffered through my mood swings for several months now, so this cannot be news to you," she growled as her patience had worn out.

"So impatient," he whispered in her ear as he slowly worked the knot of the blindfold open. He smirked at the shiver that coursed through her body, "Happy Birthday, Blair."

"Are we…?" Blair inquired as she looked around at the vaguely familiar surroundings.

"We are on top of the Empire State Building," he finished for her as his arms wrapped around her waist, his hands caressing her swelling belly, "I wanted to set right a wrong. I want our memories of this place to be full of happiness. Did you know I was going to propose to you here? That's the memory I wanted for this place."

"I know," she nodded.

"That night I wanted to bring you here to the top of New York City and show you everything that I could offer you," he added, "I wanted to show you what kind of man I can be when I give into the one thing that is good in my life."

"You don't need to apologize to me for that night," she replied.

"Yes, I do," he replied, "I'm sorry for losing my temper the night you told me Louis proposed to you…I'm sorry for not waiting longer at the Empire State Building…I'm sorry for treating you like property…And I'm sorry I didn't tell you I loved you when I knew I did."

"That's all past us," she stated.

"Not all of it," he replied, "I still love you more than anything in this world, and for the next fifty years of our life I intend to prove it to you."

"Only fifty years," she pouted, "That's not nearly enough."

"I might be able to squeeze another decade out, but you'll have to take it easy on me once we hit our golden anniversary."

"Deal," she chuckled as he guided her towards the elegantly set table and held her chair out.

"If you get chilled let me know," he requested as he glanced towards the heater he'd had brought in to keep the November chill from invading on their evening.

"I never thought I'd be dining on the top of the Empire State Building on my birthday," she smiled as he set her dinner in front of her, "How did you manage all of this?"

"Have you forgotten who you married?" he tried to manage an insulted look, which came off as amused.

"I mean how did you manage all the decorations," she corrected herself, "This has your influence written all over it as it's set up exactly like our last meal on the island."

"You remembered?" he smiled as she made the connection.

"A woman does not forget the night that she was made a queen of her very own island," she replied.

"I couldn't manage the breathtaking sunset," he replied.

"New York's nighttime skyline works just as well," she assured him, "So are you going to give me the name of the little fairy you had helping you with this? I know you couldn't have had time to come here and decorate as you've been hovering over me all day."

"I'm not sure I want to give away this secret," he stated.

"Please," she stuck out her lip and batted her lashes.

"Serena," he caved instantly, "I gave her very detailed instructions and even drew her a picture."

"Probably a good idea," she smiled, "I love her. She's my best friend, but she has a ridiculously short attention span."

"That may be, but she came through for us this evening so she'll be getting a rather generous gift in the near future," Chuck replied.

"And what are you getting me, your beloved wife, on her birthday?" Blair inquired.

"A little birdie spilled a few beans regarding a few items that you had set aside at a certain jewelry store," he gave her his most charming smile.

"So which item did you select?" Blair gave a giddy giggle of anticipation.

"I thought of going for the obvious," Chuck replied, "The most expensive item that you had selected."

"The Bulgari ring then," Blair clapped her hands eagerly.

"Then I thought of going for the least expensive item because that would be unexpected," he stated.

"The Cartier platinum earrings?" she clapped her hands again, her eagerness dissipated ever so slightly.

"Then I thought about why you used to set aside jewelry in the first place. You had a boyfriend that didn't know you and a mother that wasn't paying attention," Chuck stated, "I have always paid extra special attention to you, so I went outside the box on this."

"What did you do?" Blair eyed him curiously.

"Thought outside the box," Chuck replied as he pulled a box from his jacket pocket and sat it in front of her.

"Tiffany's," she smiled in recognition of the famous powder blue paper wrapped around the box as she lifted the package into her hands and began shaking it, "You're off to a good start."

"When in doubt, head to Tiffany's," he chuckled.

She pulled at the bow before lifting the lid.

"I noticed you didn't have a charm bracelet in your jewelry box," he noted as she had her first peek inside, "It seemed like something that we could do together. I took the liberty of selecting the first charm."

"A baby carriage," she smiled as she admired the platinum charm with yellow enamel and diamonds, "It's beautiful. I've seen this charm before, but I've only ever seen it in baby blue."

"Think of it as a special order," he winked at her.

"They don't do special orders for items like this," she eyed him curiously.

"They do for Blair Bass," he replied.

"Do I have to put it on myself?" she inquired as she draped the bracelet across her wrist to admire the way it looked.

"Never will you have to put jewelry on by yourself again," he smiled as he reached across the table and helped her with the clasp, "That's part of being married, isn't it?"

"Yes," she nodded as she flipped her hand over and grasped his wrist, "And it's been absolutely amazing being married to you for these past few months."

"The first of many more months…years to come," he replied as he lifted her hand to his lips, "I love you, Blair."

"I love you too, Chuck," she responded as he pulled her to her feet and began dancing her around the floor, but she stopped, "Stop, there is no music."

"We don't need music," he told her.

"I feel silly," she told him as a blush crept to her cheeks.

"Who cares, it's just us here," he replied as he coaxed her into a steady rhythm.

"This is likely going to be the last romantic evening we're going to have before we become parents," Blair noted.

"But not the last romantic evening of our lives," he vowed, "I promise to be no less romantic after I become a father."

"I'm not sure you'll be able to top the observation deck of the Empire State building," she challenged him.

"I accept the challenge," he laughed.

"Good," she smiled with glee.

**TBC. . .**

**You may be wondering why a certain portion of this text was underlined. Nope, it's not a typo. It was taken directly from the episode this season in which Chuck finally apologized for all his misdeeds. It was tweaked slightly to fit my story, but I'm sure no one will mind.**

**I hope you all are still enjoying the fluff.**

**I have to add a big thank you to my pal Lori who is editing her little heart out for me, and another to those of you taking a few moments to express your opinions. I love reading your comments.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Serena's mad at you," Blair announced as she returned from her baby shower with a few gift bags of the many gift bags she'd received in her hands.

"Is she now?" he chuckled as he took the bags out of her hands and set them aside after greeting her with a kiss. "What have I done to incur the wrath of Ms. van der Woodsen?"

"You won't let me find out if we're having a boy or girl," she replied, "She hated using yellow to decorate for the shower. Her language definitely went beyond our PG rating. If I knew where the baby's ears were, I would have tried to cover them."

"She'll just have to get over it," he stated.

"Chuck, I really want to know if it's a boy or a girl. We have an appointment coming up. Can we please make this a mutual decision?" she pouted.

"Why is this so important to you?" he asked.

"Why are you so insistent that this remain a mystery?" she turned it around on him, "You even said at the beginning of all of this that if I wanted to know, we'd know. Well I want to know."

"We're still at a standoff, aren't we?" he realized.

"Compromise," she offered, "We find out the sex of this baby. For the next one, we wait until the baby is born."

"I like the idea of a compromise, but how about we wait with this baby, and then find out next time," he suggested.

"No," she moaned, "This baby is a part of me, Chuck. It's growing inside of me. I've spent seven months bonding with this thing. I hate having to refer to him or her as a thing. It has its own personality, its own heartbeat. Please, Chuck."

"How about this for a compromise," he stated, "We'll have our appointment and the sonogram like planned. At the end, I leave the room and you find out."

"And you trust me to keep this a secret from you for two more months," she replied.

"I trust that you'll try," he nodded.

Blair giggled as she threw her arms around his neck. Chuck could feel the baby kicking in her stomach as she pressed up against him. The feeling was unlike any he had ever felt before. He loved it. He couldn't get enough of it. If she'd allow him, he'd have himself pressed against her for the next two months, but he had a feeling that the time was rapidly approaching when she wouldn't allow him anywhere near her. She was already complaining about how uncomfortable she was getting. He dreaded that day that she'd push him away, yet he savored the moments he had now.

"I'm getting so big," she frowned as his hands settled at her hips as he was unable to put his arms all the way around her.

"You're pregnant," he reminded her, "And I happen to think you look incredibly sexy."

"I think you're an incredible liar," she responded.

"I'm being honest," he insisted, "Do you know what this baby bump does for me?"

"I know what it does for me. It makes me have to pee every thirty minutes," she replied as she kissed his cheek, "Can we pick this up in our bedroom?"

"You have yourself a date," he nodded as he watched her waddle towards the staircase.

"Screw this," she sighed as she looked at the grand staircase that appeared to be taunting her, "I'm using the elevator until further notice."

He chuckled as he watched her waddle towards the elevator. He had wondered how much longer she'd try the stairs. He had his answer, no longer.

* * *

"How are things going, Mrs. Bass?" her doctor inquired as she came into the exam room with Blair's chart in her hands.

"Pretty good, I think," Blair responded with a nervous hitch. She always became nervous just before an examination. She managed to convince herself that the doctor was going to find something wrong, "But I'm peeing far more often than I think is normal."

"That's actually a fairly common complaint," her doctor chuckled, "It has to do with how your baby is positioned. He or she has probably taken up residence on or near your bladder. As the baby gains weight, they press down a little harder. Why don't you lay down, and we'll begin your exam?"

Blair laid back on the table as Chuck grasped her hand. His reassuring smile was the only thing keeping her calm as the doctor poked around her belly. A few pokes earned a retaliation as their baby poked and kicked back.

"This baby is a feisty little thing," her doctor chuckled at the third poke that was reciprocated.

"Takes after his or her mother," Chuck laughed.

"Well, from what I can see, everything looks normal. We'll know more after the sonogram, but I'm fairly confident that there is no cause for alarm. If I remember correctly from your last sonogram, you were still coming to a decision about learning the sex of the baby. Has that decision been made yet?"

"Yes," Blair nodded, "We both still have different stances, but we've agreed that I can know as long as I try my very best not to tell Chuck."

"I'll tell the technician," the doctor chuckled as she made a quick note in Blair's chart. She knew the compromise wasn't going to work. She'd been doing this far too long. The excited mother had always spilled the beans in the past. She knew her latest patient would be no different. "Other than the frequent urination, have you felt any unusual pains?"

"Aside from the rib shots, nothing that seems too painful. That's okay, isn't it?" Blair's overactive imagination went into overdrive. Was she supposed to feel unusual pains? Was she not? She was driving herself crazy as she overanalyzed every detail of her pregnancy.

"Yes," the doctor reassured her, "I'm just making sure you aren't feeling any contractions yet."

"It's too soon for that, isn't it?" Chuck inquired.

"Yes," the doctor nodded, "But it's not uncommon for an expectant mother to start feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions at this stage of pregnancy. It's the body's way of preparing the mother for the real thing. Are you still doing your yoga, Mrs. Bass?"

"Yes," Blair nodded, "That's okay, isn't it?"

"Yes," the doctor assured her, "Exercise at this stage of pregnancy is very healthy. I know we've talked about this at your other examinations, but it's time to cut the sex out of your routine."

"No," Blair pouted.

"I know the imposition this is going to cause, but I don't want you going into early labor as a result," her doctor advised her, "You still have more six weeks to go, and it's my job to make sure that you get there. The longer you can go the less chance there is for complications at and after birth for your baby."

Blair continued to pout as Chuck assured the doctor they would follow her advice. By the wickedness in her eyes, he could tell she wasn't happy about it, but he was undeterred. They would follow the doctor's recommendation to the letter.

"Your examination is finished. I'll send in the sonogram technician. She's been a little busy today. You may have to wait a few minutes, but I promise you're next on her list. Just relax. She'll be in shortly," the doctor gave Blair a warm smile.

"And if I have to urinate again?" Blair crossed her arms in a huff, most of her venom was still directed towards her husband, but there was a bit left over that she directed towards her doctor.

"There's a private bathroom just through that door," the doctor pointed towards the opposite side of the room from where she was exiting, "I'll be in with the technician shortly."

Once the door closed behind the doctor, Chuck went on the offensive. "Don't give me that look," he glared back at her, "Both the doctor and your husband have the best interests of you and this baby in mind."

"You didn't even fight her on it. Am I that repulsive to you right now?"

"I have been saying it nearly every day, and if I have to, I'll keep saying it until I'm blue in the face. I think you are as beautiful today as you were the day we were married," he replied.

"And I wasn't beautiful to you before that day?" she kept her glare fixed directly on him.

"I can't win with you right now," he threw up his hands in exasperation, "If I'd fought the doctor on this restriction you would have claimed that I didn't care for the wellbeing of our child. If the doctor hadn't placed this restriction on you today, we would have gone home, and I would have made love to you just as often as you'd allow me to. You're picking a fit with me on purpose. How about we discuss why that is?"

"Because everything is too perfect right now," she sighed, "I keep waiting for our world to crumble around us. I'm not used to this, Chuck. I'm not used to living each day in complete bliss. It's starting to freak me out a little bit."

"It freaks you out that we aren't at each other's throats," he summarized.

"Yes, and we haven't been at each other's throats since that argument we had just before your limo accident," she pointed out, "That's not who we are, Chuck. We love each other passionately, but we also butt heads just as passionately."

"We've argued since then," he stated.

"About little things," she replied, "Inconsequential things."

"I wouldn't call our arguments about finding out the sex of our baby an inconsequential thing," he replied.

"But nobody stormed out during the debate. We barely raised our voices. There was no name-calling, no ultimatums given, and no threats. That's not how we fight," she insisted.

"It is when you're pregnant with our child," he stated calmly, "You've read the same literature I have. Elevating your blood pressure is bad for the baby. I'm just trying to make sure that you and I end up with the healthiest baby possible."

"So after I give birth you're going to fight normally with me again?" she inquired.

"Maybe after you stop breastfeeding," he offered.

"I'm holding you to that," she cautioned him as the sonogram technician knocked on the exam room door just before she stuck her head in.

The technician had heard enough stories about the legendary Chuck Bass to know that entering a room without knocking with him inside was foolish. The couple could see the relief wash across her face as she pushed the door open wide enough to slide her machine into the room as Blair's doctor followed behind her.

It took the technician a few minutes to set everything up, which allowed Blair to warn the doctor a second time that Chuck didn't want to know the sex of their baby.

As the sonogram began, the first thing they heard was the steady heartbeat of their baby. Blair smiled at Chuck as the black and white image of their baby came into view. The technician jerked the scanner head across Blair's belly just as it dawned on Chuck and Blair what they had seen.

"Wait, can you go back?" Chuck requested.

"I don't think that's wise," the technician advised him with a nervous hitch to her voice.

"I think the cat is out of the bag," Chuck pointed out, "Would you please go back?"

"Certainly," the technician nodded as she returned the scanner head to its original position.

"That's what I think it is, isn't it," Chuck pointed to a specific location on the monitor.

"He's a very proud little boy," the doctor confirmed.

"It's a boy," Chuck proclaimed.

"I'm so sorry, Mister Bass," the technician began her profuse apology, "That's never happened to me before."

"It's alright," Chuck assured her, "It saves my wife the trouble. We both knew she'd spill the beans in the limo on the way home."

"Hey!" Blair professed her outrage.

Chuck gave her a knowing look that had her conceding to his point. She'd had every intention of telling him by the end of the day.

"Now that we have that out of the way," the doctor stepped in to redirect the flustered technician's focus back to the task at hand.

The rest of the sonogram went by quickly. Blair and Chuck were too blown away by the news to focus much on the words that passed between the technician and the doctor. There didn't appear to be any cause for alarm.

As they were leaving the doctor's office, they were handed the most recent picture of their baby. Blair let out a giddy laugh as she looked at the image. It was the first one they'd seen earlier.

"He is a very proud boy indeed," Blair laughed as she showed the picture to Chuck as they stepped into the elevator to take them down to the lobby of the clinic. "Takes after his daddy."

"Let's hope that's all he's inherited from me," Chuck mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Chuck," she patted his chest lightly, "I know you wanted to be surprised in the delivery room. I hope you aren't too upset."

"As it turns out, fate wanted me to know today," Chuck gave her a reassuring smile, "I'm not mad, not at you, not at the technician, and especially not at our proud little boy."

"Next time, we'll do it your way. We'll wait until the baby is born to find out the sex," she offered.

"I'm having a son," Chuck proclaimed in bewilderment.

"Yes, you are," she nodded as they stepped off the elevator in the lobby and made their way out to the limo waiting for them.

"We're having a boy, Arthur," Blair announced to their driver as he held the door open for them. She quickly produced the picture to provide her proof.

"Mazel tov, Mrs. Bass," Arthur replied as he glanced at the photo quickly.

"This is so exciting," Blair exclaimed as Chuck coaxed her into the vehicle.

"Arthur, take us to Bloomingdales," Chuck requested, "I think Blair is going to want to buy some appropriate clothes for our baby."

"I want to stop at my mother's loft first," Blair called out from inside the limo.

"Eleanor's loft, then Bloomingdales," Arthur nodded as Chuck slid into the vehicle next to Blair to allow their driver to close the door.

"You're telling your mother before Serena," Chuck replied, "Serena's going to be mad at you."

"She'll get over it," Blair replied as she looked at the picture of their baby again, examining every detail of the image before proclaiming, "He's going to be a very handsome little boy."

"You're adorable right now," he chuckled as he took in her appearance. She had a childlike smile on her face as she concentrated on the photo in her hand.

"I'm not adorable!" she exclaimed.

"Sexy," Chuck quickly corrected himself.

"Well you can just forget about that for the next two or three months," Blair slapped his shoulder.

"Beautiful," he tried again.

"I'll take beautiful," she replied as she curled herself against him. She studied his face for a moment as he appeared to lose himself in his own thoughts. "Are you thinking about all thing activities that you can do with your son?"

"I have given this some thought," he admitted, "Hell, I even googled it, but most of the activities listed are things that I don't have a clue how to do. I was raised by nannies, female nannies. I don't know anything about working with wood, fixing cars, camping in tents, grilling meat."

"So you teach him the things you do know how to do," she replied, "Not knowing how to do those things does not make you less manly. If anything it just shows that you're a true Upper East Sider. Chuck, those lists are for different people. You have to make your own list. I'm sure he'll be interesting in those same things."

"Promise me that even if we get this boy a nanny that we'll still be involved in raising him. Promise me that we won't just turn him over to some help that we hired and let them raise our son," Chuck demanded.

"Of course we'll be involved," Blair nodded, "I want to be as hands on as I can. Honestly, I don't know if I even want to hire a nanny, at least not right away. We'll probably need help eventually, but Serena offered her services when our baby arrives. When Lily and my mother heard that, they jumped right in with offers of their own. Though those offers may be to keep Serena's contact with the baby to a minimum because Serena doesn't have a clue about babies. Even Dorota wanted to help out, but I had to remind her that she'd have her own newborn to attend to."

"So no nanny?" Chuck concluded.

"At least for awhile," she nodded, "I reserve the right to change my mind when I haven't slept for a week straight."

"We'll take turns," he offered.

"If only we could," she sighed, "But I'm pretty sure there's at least one activity that only I'm going to be any good at."

"If you're talking about changing a diaper, I'll figure that out," he assured her.

"I'm talking about breast feeding," she replied as she palmed her breasts in her hands as thrust them in his direction, "Yours just don't work the way mine do."

"And they aren't nearly as lovely as yours either," he chuckled as he bowed his head to peck at the exposed portion of each of them.

"Don't patronize me," she scowled at him as she shoved at his shoulder just as the limo rolled to a stop outside her mother's building.

"Who's patronizing?" he inquired as he offered her his hand after he stepped out of the vehicle.

She shoved the hand away as she climbed out of the car without his help. Her scowl remained as they made their way to Eleanor's office.

"What's the matter, Sweetheart?" Eleanor inquired as she greeted her daughter with a hug.

"She's mad at me because I can't breast feed our baby," Chuck chimed in.

"Don't be ridiculous," Blair hissed, "I'm mad because you're mocking me."

Eleanor fought valiantly to suppress the chuckle that she felt trying to escape. She could see in her daughter what she must have been like when she was pregnant. She made a mental note to call her ex-husband to apologize for how ridiculously she behaved towards him.

Chuck released a sigh as he greeted his mother-in-law with a kiss to her cheek. There was no way he was going to win the argument, so it was best to let it drop.

"Blair, your baby shower earlier this week was lovely. We'll have to send Serena and Lily a thank you note for hosting it," Eleanor shifted the conversation.

"It was the first thing I did when I got home," Blair replied, "I should have the rest of them out in a few days."

"Well, it wasn't the first thing you did," Chuck corrected her.

"Those restrictions my doctor put me on today seem suddenly unnecessary because there is no way I'd consider having sex with you for at least the next three months with the way you have behaved today," Blair snarled at him once more.

"Restrictions," Eleanor picked out of Blair's statement, "Is everything okay with you and the baby?"

"Yes, we're fine," Blair assured her, "The doctor just thinks it would be a bad idea to have sex until after the baby is born. She says it could possibly induce labor."

"Trust me, Sweetheart, in a few weeks, sex will be the furthest thing from your mind anyways," Eleanor smiled.

"We have a picture to show you, Grandma," Blair smiled as she pulled the sonogram photo out of her purse and laid in on the desk in front of Eleanor.

"Ugh, can we go with Nana or something else? Grandma makes me feel so old," Eleanor scrunched her nose at the expression before she adjusted her glassed to examine the photo. She let out a gasp of surprise as the image came into focus. "Is that…Does this mean…A boy?"

"A very proud boy," Blair nodded, "It was the first image that was captured today. We had come to an agreement that I would find out the sex of the baby, and Chuck would stay in the dark."

"But it was instantly obvious," Chuck chimed in.

"I knew it was going to be a boy," Eleanor proclaimed as she came around her desk to hug her daughter, "I told Lily at the shower that we were going to have a grandson. Blair, this is wonderful."

"I can admit it now that we know for sure; I was hoping for a boy," Blair confessed.

"Have you told your father yet?" Eleanor inquired.

"You're the first stop," Blair replied, "We're going to Bloomingdales after this to start buying gender specific items, but I have to ask you a small favor first."

"Anything," Eleanor responded quickly.

"I want to bring this baby home from the hospital in a special outfit," Blair began, "And I don't know that I've seen anything during my days of shopping with Serena that fit the bill. I know you don't really do baby clothes, but I was hoping you'd make an exception for your grandson."

"Absolutely," Eleanor nodded as she grabbed her sketchpad and waited for Blair to give her the details of what she was looking for.

"I want to bring our baby home in a little suit similar to the ones his daddy wears. It doesn't have to be a three piece suit exactly, but one thing it absolutely has to have is a little bowtie sewn into it," Blair explained.

"Blair, isn't that a little impractical for a newborn," Chuck chimed in.

"Probably, but his first day home from the hospital is a very special day. I want an outfit that reflects that. I'm okay with the fact that he likely won't wear it any longer than his first diaper change."

"How about a faux dress shirt with a pinstripe vest and matching pants," Eleanor thought out loud as she began moving her pencil around the paper as she drew her first image.

"I like that idea," Blair beamed with happiness, "Chuck always looks so handsome in pinstripes."

"Perhaps a navy pattern with white pinstripes… wait, what color is the nursery again?" Eleanor stopped her train of thought quickly.

"Well the walls are a light green. The floors are a brown maple. The crib and chair are ivory, and the sheets are a brown and white polka dot," Blair stated.

"How about a brown pinstripe with a light green dress shirt?" Eleanor suggested.

"With a solid brown tie to match the pinstripes," Chuck added.

"Perhaps you could even design a suit for the baby's daddy, so that they match," Blair thought out loud.

"Let's not go too crazy here," Chuck stepped in.

"You're probably right," Blair thought better of her idea, "Just the suit for the baby. I wouldn't want you possibly upstaging him on his big day."

"I'm not sure that could be an option, but yes, let's keep the focus that day on the baby," Chuck agreed.

"I'll get to work on this right away," Eleanor stated, "Perhaps I'll even join you in Bloomingdales. If I'm going to construct this to fit a newborn, I should probably find some sort of pattern I can use to judge the size. I don't think the baby will sit still long enough for it to be tailored, and I'd hate to drown the poor thing in something too large."

"You absolutely should join us at Bloomingdales," Blair nodded her head eagerly.

Chuck knew that as soon as Eleanor joined their shopping party that he was going to be delegated to holding purses, his opinions would be ignored, and he'd be expected to foot the bill. Quite honestly, he wouldn't have it any other way.

**TBC. . .**

**Again I am going to thank Lori2279 for helping me edit this chapter. I'm also going to thank you the readers for reading and the reviewers who reviewed. I appreciate you all more than you know.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Do you think there is something going on with Nate and Serena?" Blair asked as she dressed for bed after having dinner with their two best friends to give them the news that they were expecting a baby boy.

"You saw it too," Chuck concluded as he helped her unzip the pale blue dress she'd worn for the occasion.

"They were trading curious looks all night, and things felt more tense and awkward than they should have been," Blair nodded, "Even when they are at each other's throats it is more comfortable than it was tonight. Has he said anything to you?"

"He mentioned that he feels he's well over Diane and dating again," Chuck replied, "He didn't give details though."

"Which is odd, isn't it?" she prompted him as she slid out of her dress and slipped into a nightgown, "Don't you two go into graphic detail regarding your conquests?"

"I wouldn't say graphic detail, but things do go into the PG-13 rating category on occasion," he explained as he loosened his tie, "But when I've been with you the ratings toned down. I never felt comfortable going into those details with him, and not because you two were former lovers. It was my feelings for you that I didn't want to share with him. You have always been special to me. I didn't want to betray that."

"What about when he dated Serena?" Blair inquired as she helped him with his cufflinks before moving to the buttons of his dress shirt, "Was he forthcoming with details then?"

"Not as much," Chuck replied as he stood with his hands to his sides as he allowed her to undress him, "He went into more detail than I really wanted him to, but he wasn't as detailed as he's been with other women that meant far less."

"Well, Serena and I are meeting tomorrow to shop for more baby clothes now that we have a more specific color palette to work with. I'm going to make her tell me what's going on," Blair stated as her hands shifted to his pants as she opened them up and shoved them down to his ankles.

"There may be nothing going on," Chuck pointed out as he kicked himself free of the last article of clothing.

"And maybe there is," she replied as she began scratching lightly at his chest, "Tomorrow I'll know for sure. Even if she lies to me, I'll know. She's a horrible poker play, so I'll see right through her."

"Nathaniel isn't any better," Chuck agreed as he placed his hands over hers to still her motion, "You on the other hand are an excellent poker play, but you need to stop this little seduction that you have going right now. You're wandering into dangerous territory that we've been advised against."

Blair took a step back to realize that Chuck was completely naked in front of her. She hadn't even realized that she'd fully undressed him. It was done mostly out of habit. They'd made love every night before going to be bed since they tied the knot. A sickening feeling settled in the pit of her stomach when it occurred to her that this would be the first night they couldn't be intimate.

"It's okay," he cupped her face tenderly in his hands as he witnessed the tears well in her eyes.

"But this is the first night…" she replied, her voice thick with the emotion she was feeling.

"I know," he nodded, "The first night we aren't going to make love since we were married. I know, but we have the best excuse."

"I don't want to use excuses," she stated as a tear slipped out of the corner of her eye, "I want to make love to my husband."

"This is temporary," he reminded her as he caught the tear quickly with his lips.

"I love you, Chuck," she replied as more tears escaped.

"I love you too," he stated, "And we don't have to make love every night to prove that is true. Just being with you, just holding you in my arms, just feeling you next to me is enough."

"I don't know if I can fall asleep without you wearing me out," she admitted sheepishly.

"We won't know until we give it a try," he stated as he pulled her towards the bed. After pulling the bedcovers on her side of the bed away, he nudged her to lay down. He was just about to join her when she stopped him.

"Could you put pajamas on?" she requested, "I'm going to be too tempted if I know you're laying naked next to me."

"I suppose the silk pajamas can make an appearance," he nodded as he went to the dresser to pull out the items that were neatly folded inside. The silk felt foreign against his skin as he slipped into the garments. It had been months since he'd worn them. When he climbed into bed, Blair curled herself against him. It took awhile, longer than it ever had for her to fall asleep, but she did and she managed to sleep through the night.

* * *

"Can I borrow your housekeeper?" Serena inquired as she met up with Blair the next day to start their shopping adventure.

"I've been to your apartment. The answer is no," Blair stated as she sipped on her tea, "I would never subject our sweet Rosa to that pigsty. I thought you hired a maid to come in once a week."

"I've hired seven," Serena replied, "They all quit after only a few weeks. I'm seriously starting to question my hiring skills."

"Have you thought perhaps that that the fault is in how you just throw your belongings anywhere they land?" Blair offered, "You were well behaved when you stayed in my mother's penthouse and even when you stayed with us at The Plaza. What happened?"

"This is my home," Serena replied, "I should be free to do as I wish in my own home. I can control the temperature of the apartment. I can walk around in as many or as few clothes as I want, and I will put my belongings wherever I choose."

"That's your decision," Blair agreed, "But it's going to make it difficult to keep a housekeeper. What does Nate think of the mess?"

"Oh, he doesn't mind. He's just as messy as I am," Serena waved away the question without a second thought.

"I knew it!" Blair exclaimed, "There is something going again on between the two of you. Why didn't you tell us?"

"No, there's nothing going on," Serena tried to cover, "He's just been over a few times for dinner. It's been completely innocent."

"Nope, that's not going to work," Blair shook her head, "This is me you're talking to. Nothing between you and Nate is completely innocent. What is the big secret?"

"We don't want to make a big deal of this just yet," Serena confessed, "We've gone through this all before and it didn't work. We just don't want to set anyone up for disappointment, especially ourselves. By no means am I going to compare what Nate and I have to what you and Chuck have, but I think Nate is for me what Chuck is for you; my match. If it doesn't work this time, I'm going to have to seriously think about joining a convent or something."

"S, you know I love you, but the nuns will never let you join their profession. You simply have too much…life experience to qualify," Blair selected her words carefully.

"So basically my options are to make it work with Nate or end up as one of those crazy old cat ladies that you read about that lives with thirty cats and then meet their maker and becomes food for those cats," she pouted.

"You're being ridiculous, not to mention morbid," Blair scolded her, "Even if things don't work out with Nate, for some reason, you will not end up living in your apartment with thirty cats."

"Really?" Serena looked hopeful.

"Of course. You don't even like cats."

"That's not helping," Serena glared at her best friend.

"You and Nate are in completely different places than you were the last time," Blair stated, "I think you have as good a chance to make it work as Chuck and I."

"I wouldn't go that far," Serena sighed, "You and Chuck are as solid as diamond. You're indestructible. Nate and I have no chance to match that."

"Nothing is indestructible," Blair insisted, "Even diamonds can be reduced to dust with the right tools. You know better than anyone how difficult my relationship with Chuck has been, but we want to get it right now. That's the best place to start."

"I want to get it right with Nate," Serena replied.

"Just promise me that you won't run away when things get a little difficult," Blair requested, "Because you do have a tendency to do that."

"I know," Serena nodded, "And I'll do my best, but I might need you to call me out on it."

"Happily," Blair smiled as she linked her arm with her best friend, "So have you two…"

"No, we haven't had sex yet," Serena interrupted her, "We're taking things slow. He's spent the night a few times, but it only progressed to petting."

"You're not dogs, Serena," Blair stated.

"I know," Serena sighed.

"What's the real reason that you haven't had sex?" Blair pressed.

"I don't want to be disappointed," Serena admitted, "He's a good guy, but he just wasn't that good in bed."

"Maybe he's learned a few things since you were together," Blair offered, "He was obviously satisfying enough to entertain Diane."

"What if it isn't even him?" Serena inquired, "What if the reason we aren't good together is because of me?"

"I'm guessing it was Nate," Blair assured her, "Remember I've been with him too, and he left a lot to be desired when it came to our nocturnal activities. If that's still the case, there are things you can do. Did you ever try teaching him what you liked and didn't like?"

"I didn't want to hurt his feelings," Serena replied.

"Then you'll have to find your own way to satisfy those womanly urges if his talents haven't improved," Blair replied, "Do you want that vibrator that you gave me as a wedding gift? Christmas is coming. I can wrap it up for you."

"You mean you haven't used it at all?" Serena's eyes widened in surprise.

"I certainly haven't needed it," Blair laughed, "And Chuck certainly doesn't need any lessons…Now enough of this talk about sex. I can't have it for a few months, so I'd like to keep my mind off of it."

"However are you going to manage?" Serena chuckled.

"Cold showers, I think," Blair sighed, "It's only been one day, and I ache for him. Last night was pretty emotional for me as it's the first night we've spent together since becoming man and wife that we didn't make love before we fell asleep, but Chuck was terrific about it."

"I used to be surprised when you'd say things like that, but now I'd be disappointed if he wasn't terrific about it," Serena replied, "He must be pretty excited about having a son."

"He's still pretty surprised by it," Blair replied, "He confessed yesterday that he googled father and son activities, which sent him into a panic because he didn't know how to do most of the activities listed."

"That's ridiculous," Serena stated.

"That's what I said, but he's still pretty nervous about it," Blair replied, "I just hope he snaps out of it in six weeks."

"He'll be fine," Serena assured her, "He never thought he could be committed to one woman, and look how well that's turned out."

* * *

"I didn't expect you to want to hang out at a Knicks game today," Nate replied as he sat in the luxury suite as they watched the game on the court below, "You never want to watch basketball with me."

"What can I say? I needed a guy's night out," Chuck shrugged as he drank from his glass of flat soda as Nate worked on his third beer, "And Serena and Blair are having one of their sleepover makeover nights. I'm not really feeling like yet another avocado mask facial."

"Does that mean you aren't allowed to go home tonight?" Nate inquired.

"I'm allowed home, just not until later, after Serena's asleep," Chuck replied, "Blair's going to send me a text when Serena falls into a sugar coma. She's feeding Serena a steady diet of sugar tonight."

"She'll be passed out in no time," Nate laughed, "Are you going to ditch me as soon as Blair calls you?"

"Probably," Chuck smirked.

"You love being married, don't you," Nate smirked along with him as he eyed the ring on Chuck's left hand. It was a sight he was still getting used to seeing, yet he knew to Chuck it felt completely natural.

"I love being married to Blair," Chuck nodded, "I love coming home and knowing that she's either there waiting for me or will be home before the end of the day. The consistency is comforting."

"You make me want to get married," Nate replied. He paused for a moment before adding, "Serena and I are dating again."

"Blair and I had a feeling," Chuck nodded.

"It's been a little awkward," Nate confessed, "Obviously we had sex in our previous relationship, but every time I make my move she pulls back. It's beyond frustrating. Then she wants me to spend the night with her and just cuddle…cuddle. I'm a young male in my sexual prime, and my girlfriend just wants to cuddle."

"Have you asked why?" Chuck inquired.

"I don't want to ask my girlfriend why she only wants to cuddle. That would be incredibly awkward," Nate replied.

"And the uncomfortable erection isn't?" Chuck added, "Look, sometimes you have to have the tough conversation to move forward in the relationship. Your lack of emotional connection has doomed your past relationships. Do you want this one to crash and burn the same way?"

Nate took a long drink of his beer as a way of avoiding having to answer Chuck's question.

"How excited are you that you're having a boy?" Nate inquired.

"Excited…Terrified," Chuck stated.

"What? Why?" Nate asked.

"What do I know about raising a son?" Chuck replied, "I'm not exactly a manly man."

"Are you kidding? You're the manliest man that I know," Nate replied, "Just ask all those women that you were with."

"Having a good pick up line does not make me manly," Chuck replied.

"What was your pick up line?" Nate inquired, "I've always wondered."

"I'm Chuck Bass," he stated, with a half smirk.

"That's it? That's all it was?" Nate's jaw dropped in surprise.

"When you have the trust fund that I do, that's all that was needed," Chuck replied.

"I have a trust fund myself," Nate pointed out.

"You never flaunted it the way I did," Chuck stated.

"You have me there," Nate conceded, "But getting back to your son, you'll figure out how to raise him as you go."

"But there are certain things that a father should teach his son that I just don't know how to do," Chuck replied, "I can't fix a car. I can't grill meat. I wouldn't know the first thing about pitching a tent or making a birdhouse out of wood. Hell, I can't even throw a spiraled football."

"That is about the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Nate fought hard not to laugh at his best friend, "Your son isn't going to care about any of that just like you ever cared that Bart couldn't do any of that."

"Yes, Bart is the parent I want to model myself after," Chuck responded sarcastically.

"Fine, if it bugs you so much, learn how to do those things," Nate stated, "I'm sure Arthur could teach you about cars. I'll teach you to throw a spiral pass, and I'm sure we could find people to teach you the rest. You've always been smarter than anyone has ever given you credit. When it comes time for your son to learn all these things, you'll be an expert."

"Yeah, maybe," Chuck sighed.

"Even if you don't learn those things, there are tons of things you'll teach him how to do," Nate replied, "Perhaps even some of the most important things, like peeing standing up."

Chuck couldn't fight the laugh that escaped.

"Come on, Man, it's going to be great," Nate patted his back.

"Yes, it is," Chuck nodded as his phone chirped with the signal of a new text message.

"You ditching me?" Nate inquired as Chuck read his message.

"Yes," Chuck nodded as he pocketed his phone.

"Well, I got three quarters and three beers out of you. That's not bad," Nate stated.

"Did you want a ride?" Chuck offered.

"No, I'll stay until the final buzzer," Nate replied, "If you see Serena, can you keep what I told you about us to yourself. We've agreed to keep this quiet for awhile."

"Your secret is safe with me," Chuck assured him, "Night, Archibald."

"Night, Bass," Nate replied.

* * *

"It's about time you got home. Serena's been asleep for an hour already," Blair greeted her husband when he climbed into bed.

"Traffic," he muttered his explanation as he kissed her lips, "I'm sorry. Arthur did the best he could."

"I thought I was going to have to fall asleep without you next to me," she stuck out her lip in a pout.

"Never," he whispered as he opened his arms to her so that she could curl in against him.

"Good night, Chuck," she sighed happily.

"Night, Beautiful," he replied as he kissed her forehead as she drifted off.

**TBC. . .**

**If you're still enjoying this, drop me a line to let me know.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Enough with the mistletoe already," Serena groaned as she caught Chuck and Blair camped underneath the traditional Christmas decoration yet again, "Don't make me get out the fire extinguisher."

"Where is your holiday cheer, Serena?" Blair frowned as her husband reluctantly released her.

"It's worn thin after I've walked in on you making out for the fifth time," Serena glared at her best friend, "No shock that you're pregnant. You two can't keep your hands off each other."

"You're just jealous because Nate is spending the holiday at the Vanderbilt Estate, so you don't get your own mistletoe kiss," Blair replied.

"I can't believe he'd rather spend the day with his family than me," she huffed.

"You haven't even told Lily that you're dating him again," Blair pointed out.

"Maybe I would have if he'd agreed to spend the holiday with me," she sighed.

"You didn't even ask him to spend the holiday with you," Blair felt the need to point out.

Serena wouldn't dignify Blair's comment with a response.

"Do you want me to send a jet for him in the Hamptons?" Chuck offered.

"No," Serena shook her head, "He said he was going to come back to the city on the first train he could get after his crazy family dinner."

"Okay," Chuck nodded.

"Come on you three, you're holding up dinner," Lily found the trio.

"Blame them," Serena motioned towards Chuck and Blair, "I found them under the mistletoe again."

"Is it too late to return the gift we got her?" Blair whispered into her husband's ear as he pulled her to the table where their family was waiting patiently, both van der Woodsen and Waldorf.

"Nice of you to join us," Cyrus smirked as Chuck held out Blair's chair for her before he settled in next to her with his hand on her belly.

"Our pleasure," Blair winked at him as the food started to make the rounds.

Lily had been surprised that Cyrus and Eleanor had accepted her dinner invitation for the holiday as she knew they celebrated Hanukkah, but she had a suspicion that the impending arrival of their first grandchild was the reason they agreed to be included in the meal. As it was, most of the conversation at the table revolved around Blair and the baby.

"Have you two come up with possible names yet?" Rufus inquired.

"We're working on it," Chuck nodded.

"Arguing over it," Blair amended, "I want to name him after one of my favorite characters from the Hepburn classics, but Chuck isn't as sold on the idea."

"I haven't ruled it out," Chuck chimed in, "But I think it would be best to wait until we meet our child before we settle completely on a name. He may not look anything like a Linus or a Henry."

"We can't even come to an agreement on his middle name," Blair added.

"Shouldn't you have a first name before you come up with a middle name?" Serena added her two cents to the conversation.

"Thank you, Serena," Chuck smiled triumphantly, "That has been my point throughout this process."

"How about Eric?" Eric offered, "After his doting uncle."

"Or Roman?" Roman chimed in.

"Why don't we just call him Harold Roman Cyrus Rufus Eric Bass?" Blair listed sarcastically.

"That's quite a mouthful," Harold chuckled, "But my name is first, so that sounds appropriate."

"So it's going to be Bass and not Waldorf-Bass," Eleanor chimed in.

"That is actually the only thing that we have agreed upon so far," Blair replied, "When I went to get my name legally changed after the wedding I was intending on using Waldorf-Bass, but when I filled out the paperwork I put just Bass. I know I could change it, but the more I've written it out, the more I like Blair Bass."

"Anything Blair decides to do professionally, I'm going to insist she do so as Blair Waldorf-Bass," Chuck chimed in, "But legally she's Blair Bass."

"You could always use Waldorf as the baby's middle name," Eleanor suggested.

"I hadn't thought of that," Blair paused for a moment.

"We still have a bit of negotiating to do," Chuck added.

"Just think, next year at this time, we'll be celebrating the baby's first Christmas. It's going to be so much fun," Lily proclaimed gleefully.

"I happened to walk through FAO Schwartz a few days ago," Eleanor chimed it, "The toys they have these days are so different than when I shopped for Blair twenty years ago."

"I did the same thing," Lily replied, "Blair, Charles, I hope you know how spoiled this child will be."

"That's a given," Chuck laughed, "Blair has been getting the baby's clothes organized in the nursery closet. I've never seen so many clothes in my life, and I'm married to Blair."

"Chuck," Blair scolded him with a soft backhand to his shoulder.

"Have you started nesting yet, Blair?" Rufus inquired, "When Alison was pregnant with both Dan and Jenny, I swear she nested through her entire pregnancy. Our apartment was never cleaner."

The mention of Dan silenced the room for a few moments as all eyes shifted towards Blair.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," Rufus broke the silence.

"How is Dan?" Cyrus tried to smooth things over.

"He's doing well," Rufus replied, "He wanted to come home for the holidays, but both Alison and I thought it would be best for him to stay in London."

"Excuse me," Blair stated with a weak smile as she placed her napkin beside her plate before she awkwardly rose from the table and left the room.

Chuck motioned to follow her, but Serena's hand against his shoulder keep him seated.

* * *

"Blair," Serena called out to get her best friend's attention after finding her tucked into what used to be Chuck's bedroom, "Rufus didn't mean any harm."

"I know," Blair nodded, "Rufus never means any harm. He doesn't seem to have one wicked bone in his body unlike his offspring. I'm still just so mad at his son. I cannot get over how badly he betrayed our friendship. He took the most personal thing that I've ever told anyone and used it against me the day before my wedding. What kind of person does something like that?"

"One that was not in his right state of mind," Serena chimed in, "I haven't brought this up before, but Dan's in therapy himself. He was diagnosed with depression."

"That doesn't make what he did okay," Blair insisted, "Chuck was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. That doesn't make all that he did okay either, and he doesn't expect people to just sweep what he did under the rug because of it. Dan humiliated me and my husband. At least Chuck has apologized for his actions. Dan will probably hide behind this convenient diagnosis and just expect people to forgive him."

"You don't know that," Serena insisted, "Maybe Dan wanted to come back for the holidays to start the apologies. You're being a little hypocritical here, Blair. What Dan did isn't nearly as bad as what Chuck did, and you forgave him."

"Chuck asked for his forgiveness. He worked for his forgiveness," Blair replied.

"Maybe Dan wants to do that too," Serena replied, "Maybe he wants to come home so he can apologize."

"He could apologize from London," Blair insisted, "Last I checked, they have pens and paper there. He could write a letter. They have computers. He could send an email. They have phones. He could send a text."

"Would you read any of it if he sent one?" Serena inquired.

"I'm not the only one he needs to apologize to," Blair insisted, "Has he reached out to you yet? Have you talked to him?"

"No," Serena shook her head.

"I get that you have a soft spot for Dan. He was your first love, but I don't know if I can forgive him. As far as I'm concerned, he's better off in London," Blair replied.

"I wasn't going to tell you this until tomorrow because I didn't want to ruin your holiday, but Mom, Rufus, and Eric are flying to London tomorrow, and I'm thinking about going with," Serena stated calmly, "But I don't want you to be mad at me for going to hear Dan out."

"You're leaving?" Blair's voice hitched with sadness, "For how long?"

"Just for a week or so," Serena replied, "We have to be back before Eric's break at Sarah Lawrence is over."

"So you'll be back before the baby is born," Blair let out a slight sigh of relief.

"Of course," Serena assured her, "I wouldn't even consider going if I thought I would miss out on my nephew's birth. I intend to be there through every contraction and right on through until you pop this bundle out."

"Serena, if you're in the delivery room with me, I promise that I will rip out every strand of that blonde hair one by one," Blair cautioned her.

"Ouch," Serena winced as she ran her fingers through her hair, "Consider the message received, but I promise you I will be there for the most important day of your life. You're my best friend, B. I wouldn't dream of missing it."

"Thanks, S," Blair replied as she hugged her friend, "And if you have the chance, could you slap Dan upside his head for me?"

"I'll consider it," Serena chuckled, "If you'll promise to keep an eye on Nate while I'm gone."

"I'll stick Chuck on that task," Blair replied, "With my mood swings I'd probably castrate him when he says something inappropriate."

"I'd appreciate keeping him in one piece," Serena chuckled, "I may want to be able to reproduce with him somewhere down the road."

"I'll do my best," Blair smiled.

"Are we okay?" Serena inquired.

"Yes," Blair nodded, "I can't stay mad at you anymore. I'm still not forgiving Dan, but you and I are okay."

"Come on, we should join the family," Serena urged her out of the room.

"Go on ahead," Blair replied, "I'm taking a few kicks to the bladder, so the ladies' room is calling."

"Okay," Serena nodded, "But if you aren't back in a few minutes, I'm sending Chuck after you."

"I'll need to make sure he finds me under the mistletoe then," Blair let out a giggle as she turned towards the bathroom.

"Rabbits," Serena muttered under her breath, "They mate like rabbits."

* * *

"Is Blair okay?" Chuck inquired as Serena returned to the table sans Blair.

"Yes," she nodded, "She was taking a few kicks to the bladder. You can guess the rest from there."

"I'd better go make sure she's okay," Chuck motioned to stand up.

"I think she can manage to use the bathroom just fine on her own," Serena assured him as she placed her hand against his shoulder for a second time to keep him in place, "You don't need to hover."

"It's hard not to hover at this stage," Harold chimed in, "When Eleanor hit eight months, I didn't let her leave my sight for a second."

"Yes, I remember," Eleanor glared at him, "He even followed me into the bathroom. I learned to lock the door."

"I wish we'd had Dorota back then," Harold sighed, "She would have been able to pick the lock for me."

The table let out a chorus of laughs as Blair finally returned to the table.

Rufus was about to apologize again when Blair held up her hand to silence him, "Let's just forget about it and move on with our day."

Chuck's hand settled at her belly again as she reached for her fork and resumed her meal. His eyes were reflecting his concern for her. She gave him the most reassuring smile she could as she ran her fingers along his hand. Chuck bent in and kissed her cheek softly, whispering his love in her ear.

* * *

"Serena's present seemed to go over pretty well," Blair chuckled as they sat near the elegantly decorated tree in their bedroom. It had been an ordeal for Blair to get down to the ground, and it would probably be an even bigger deal to get her to her feet again, but she liked cuddling with Chuck in front of the fire.

"You gave her that vibrator you got from her for a wedding present," he chuckled, "Unless Nate managed to convince her to round the bases within the past few days, I'd say that gift is going to get a lot of use."

"She has performance anxiety," Blair sighed, "She's worried that their sexual chemistry hasn't improve, which proves my point from so many months ago that she was faking."

"You were right," he chuckled.

"So, do I get to open my gift yet?" Blair inquired as her fingers walked along the elegantly wrapped package at her side.

"You're like a little kid when it comes to gifts," he chuckled as he placed a kiss at the juncture between her neck and her shoulder, "You've opened more than your share of presents this year, between our wedding gifts, your birthday gifts, the baby shower gifts, and then the gifts you were given at Lily's just this afternoon, yet still you aren't satisfied."

"Because I know your gift will top them all," she replied, "Now quit stalling. I want my present."

"I'd hate to disappoint my queen," he chuckled at he picked up the gift she was toying with and placed it on her belly in front of her.

"See, this bump is good for something," she chuckled as she watched the gift balance perfected atop her rounded belly. Finally giving into temptation, she snatched the gift off her stomach and tore at the wrapping paper, sending bits of it flying in many different directions.

"Careful," he laughed, "You don't want to set this carpet on fire."

Finally ridding the box of the paper, she lifted the lid to reveal its contents. Inside was a platinum locket, split open at the hinge to reveal the picture he'd tucked inside.

"Is this?" she gasped as she eyed the image, which looked like the sonogram photo they'd been given by their doctor days earlier.

"Our little boy," he nodded against her shoulder, "I figure we can put another picture of him in after he's born on the other side."

"Chuck, it's beautiful," she stated as she ran her fingers along the locket, "Where did you get the picture? I already added the sonogram picture to the baby book."

"I called your doctor's office later that same day and asked for a copy," he explained, "I then went to a photographer's studio and had him shrink the image so that it would fit into the locket. It took awhile to get a quality proof, but it was worth it."

"See, I told you that you give the best gifts," she stated as she turned her head to kiss his lips. "Now, your turn."

Chuck reached for the other package at their side.

"I'm a little nervous about this," she confessed, "Almost as nervous as I was when I…nope that will give away the surprise."

"You've piqued my curiosity," he chuckled as he shook his gift to hear the soft rattle.

"Open it," she encouraged him with an eagerness that rivaled that of when she wanted to open her present.

"Open it for me," he offered the present to her to open, "It's more fun watching you tear into it anyways."

She didn't have to be told twice as she tore at the paper as fast as she could and then pulled the lid off of the box before handing it to him.

He pushed aside the tissue paper before he took the box from her hands. Inside was a platinum framed black and white profile picture of Blair laying on her back on what appeared to be a cloud, with a piece of black cloth covering just above and below her belly bump.

"Blair, this is…" Chuck fumbled for an adequate expression.

"Awful," she gasped as she suddenly burst into tears, "It's stupid. I don't know how I let Serena talk me into it."

"I was going to say breathtaking, but that doesn't seem to go far enough," Chuck quickly put her fears to rest, "I've been saying for months how beautiful and sexy I find this pregnant side of you. Now I have this to remind me every day, even after you give birth. Thank you."

"You like it?" she stammered out.

"If you weren't on restrictions right now, I'd show you how much I love it," he told her as he tangled his fingers into her hair and brought his lips a breath away from hers, "Until those restrictions are lifted, this will have to do." His lips claimed hers, causing her to whimper in reply as she dueled with him for dominance.

"Chuck," she gasped as she pulled away to catch her breath.

"Merry Christmas, Blair," he whispered as he nuzzled her neck.

"Merry Christmas, Chuck," she replied as she tangled her fingers into his hair, keeping him close. "Just think, next year at this time, we'll be doing this with our little boy crawling circles around us."

"Next year at this time, our little boy will be tucked into bed for the night so that I may ravage my wife properly," he amended.

"I like your idea about as well as mine," she chuckled.

**TBC. . .**

**I know a lot of you are anxious for a bit of drama. There wasn't much in this chapter, but I hope I get credit for what's there. I do promise more in a few chapters.**

**As always, a big thanks to my beta Lori2279 and to my faithful readers and reviewers. You all rock!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"A phone call," Nate exclaimed, "A freakin phone call."

"What's he babbling about?" Blair inquired as she came into the entryway just as Nate started his rant.

"Not a clue," Chuck shrugged.

"Well, seeing as how this conversation isn't to stay PG, I'll leave you two to talk this out," Blair replied as she kissed her husband's cheek before she turned to address Nate, "This house happens to be PG. If I hear that language after the baby is born, I'm washing your mouth out with soap."

"Is she serious?" Nate's face changed from anger to surprise as he watched Blair waddle out of the entryway.

"She's very serious," Chuck nodded, "And not that I'm not happy to see you, but care to explain the surprise intrusion."

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Nate responded quickly.

"Just trying to keep up with Mrs. Bass's mood swings," he replied, "She'd giving Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde a run for their money right now. I'm not sure you want to stick around for too long. She might make you a target."

"A freakin' phone call," Nate renewed his outrage, "She told me she was going to London with a freakin' phone call."

"Awe," the light bulb went on in Chuck's mind regarding what he was talking about, "Serena called to tell you that she was going to London instead of telling you in person."

"It's not even that she called to tell me, she called to tell me while at the airport waiting to get on the plane, like I was an afterthought," Nate continued to vent his frustration, "I'm supposed to be her boyfriend. You'd think that she'd mention her trip abroad before she was at the airport."

"Come on, Nathaniel, this is Serena we're talking about. She could have ridden along with Lily and Eric to the airport and decided on a whim to join them," Chuck reminded him.

"With luggage?" Nate inquired as he held up a picture of Serena and her family checking in their luggage that had been blasted by Gossip Girl, who had reclaimed her gossip crown when Diane went back to London permanently.

"I don't know what to tell you," Chuck replied as he glanced over the picture, "But I have question for you. Why are you still receiving Gossip Girl blasts?"

"Call me sentimental," Nate shrugged.

"Speaking for Blair and myself, life is so much less stressful when we're not worrying about the next blast," Chuck replied.

"Yes, because she doesn't have anything interesting to blast about the two of you," Nate stated, "The last thing she blasted was about Blair being pregnant, and she was so late to the party it was laughable. With Diane gone, she's reclaimed the Gossip Queen title."

"Has she posted anything about Blair and I having a baby boy?" Chuck asked curiously.

"No," he shook his head as he gave a chuckle, "But she's phishing for it. She's even posted a survey on her website about it. According to her followers, there's a sixty-seven percent chance that you're having a girl."

Chuck snorted in amusement.

"Come on, I need a drink," Nate stated, "Do you have any hard alcohol in this place?"

"The hardest thing we have right now is apple cider," Chuck replied.

"That's not going to cut it," Nate frowned, "How about drinks at The Palace?"

"Let me go tell Blair," Chuck nodded, "I'll be right back."

"Yes, go ask your ball and chain for permission to have a drink with your best friend," Nate baited him as Chuck left him standing in the entryway. He felt a hard thump against the back of his head. He turned to see Blair and Chuck's housekeeper, Rosa, standing with a menacing glare.

"You be nice to Mister Chuck," Rosa scolded him, "He take good care of Mrs. Blair."

"Are you sure you're not related to Dorota Kishlovsky?" Nate inquired as he rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head, "You look and sound nothing alike, but you sure do act the same."

Rosa continued to scowl at him. She made him supremely uncomfortable as he waited for Chuck to return.

* * *

"What's Nate babbling about?" Blair inquired as Chuck found her curled up in the entertainment room watching a classic film with a bowl of popcorn perched on her stomach.

"Did you know that Serena was going to London?" Chuck inquired as he grabbed a few kernels of popcorn from the bowl.

"She mentioned yesterday that she was thinking about it," Blair nodded, "I got the feeling as we spoke that she'd made up her mind to go. Why?"

"Apparently she didn't tell Nathaniel until she was at the airport waiting for her flight," Chuck replied.

"Uh-oh," Blair responded, "He's mad, isn't he?"

"Wouldn't you be?" Chuck nodded.

"Furious," she nodded.

"He needs a drink, so we're going to The Palace," Chuck replied, "Did you need anything before I leave?"

"No," she shook her head, "I have my popcorn. I have my Audrey. I'm all set."

"Well, don't have the baby while I'm gone," he teased as he kissed her forehead, "I'll be gone two hours at most."

"Can you bring something sweet back with you?" she requested.

"Aside from me?" he smirked.

"Lame," she glared at him.

"Something sweet, yes, I can manage that," he chuckled, "Go easy on Rosa while I'm gone."

She shot him a harsh stare as he cowered from the room.

* * *

"I can't figure this thing between us out," Nate grumbled as he swirled the beverage in his glass, "We talk about the future and where we'd like to end up, but there is nothing going on with us in the present. She still hasn't told Lily about us."

"Have you told Anne?" Chuck inquired as he took a drink of his club soda. He felt the temptation to order something stronger, but he fought it.

"I tried," Nate sighed, "As soon as I mentioned Serena's name, my mother started in on how I had such horrible taste in women, and how I was a fool for ever letting Blair go."

"Can't argue with her there," Chuck laughed, "But your loss is definitely my gain."

"She's never going to approve of anyone I bring home," Nate sighed, "Even Serena is not proper enough for her. She wants someone like Maureen, but that type of woman doesn't interest me."

"Not sure she interests Tripp anymore either," Chuck replied, "You've heard the stories right?"

"That they are basically living separate lives in between photo ops, yes, I've heard," Nate nodded, "Tripp isn't anyone that I want to emulate."

"So who cares if your mother approves of Serena?" Chuck offered, "If you love her, that's all that matters."

"I do love her," Nate nodded, "But I wonder if I'm in love with the Serena of the past or the Serena of the present because there is a difference."

"The Serena of the past and the Serena of the present are still the same person, Nate," Chuck replied, "Maybe it's you that can't reconcile that."

"Maybe," Nate stated as he continued to swirl his drink.

"No one is forcing you to be with Serena," Chuck pointed out, "So if you want to end this, you can, but I hope you take some time to think it over first. I don't see you getting another chance with her."

"That's the worst part," he sighed, "I don't want to close the door completely, but I don't know if we're ready for that future that we're talking about."

"Sometimes life just throws you into the deep end," Chuck replied, "I never thought in a million years that I'd be ready to become a father or a husband, but here I am, a little over a month away from greeting my first child. I can honestly tell you that I couldn't be more excited about it."

"You're not scared?" Nate asked.

"Terrified," Chuck admitted, "But the excitement outweighs the fear."

"If you were in my place and Blair had flown to London without giving you any advanced warning, what would you do?" Nate inquired.

"Get on a plane to London myself and confront her," Chuck responded without a second's hesitation, "While you're at it, force her to tell Lily."

"I thought you'd say that," Nate replied.

"Need to borrow a jet?" Chuck offered.

"Do you mind?" Nate asked.

"I'm not planning on using it any time soon," Chuck replied as he pulled out his phone to get his flight crew ready.

"Thanks," Nate smiled as he downed his drink quickly as stormed off with a renewed sense of purpose.

Chuck quickly put in an order for every dessert that wouldn't melt as he texted Arthur to pull the car around.

* * *

"Everything okay now with Nate?" Blair inquired as Chuck reappeared in the entertainment room. Her empty bowl of popcorn had been cast aside. He promptly handed her the assortment of sugary desserts that he'd procured and a fork to dig in. He was rewarded with a jubilant smile.

"Nate's on his way to London," Chuck responded.

"Smart move," Blair replied as she dug right in, "How'd you get him to do that?"

"He asked what I'd do if I was in his situation," Chuck stated, "Since stopping Serena's flight isn't an option, which is what I would have done if you'd called me from the airport. This was the next best thing I could think of."

"And how exactly would you stop a commercial jetliner?" Blair inquired as she forked a bite of her dessert and offered it to him.

"I have my ways," he responded mysteriously as he accepted her offering, "I'd better keep them to myself though. They may come in handy somewhere down the road."

"Never going to happen," Blair replied as she tugged on his tie and brought his lips to hers, "Where I fly off to, so do you."

"So true," he mumbled against her lips.

"Now get away from me," she shoved at his chest, "You're interfering with my dessert."

* * *

"Eric, I thought you'd be at Sarah Lawrence," Chuck replied as his stepbrother and stepsister appeared in the entryway a few weeks after they'd returned from their trip to London.

"He says he's coming home every weekend until his nephew is born," Serena explained his appearance.

"That's not necessary," Chuck replied, "I'll send a car for you when Blair goes into labor."

"It's okay," Eric replied, "I don't mind. It gives me an excuse to avoid my roommate on weekends. He seems to think we're best buddies or something. He's even gone out of his way to assure me that the gay thing doesn't bother him. Serena and I think he's in the closet and about ready to come out."

"Is that so?" Chuck laughed, "And you've come to the lioness's den for what reason? Torture?"

"We've come to offer moral support," Serena stated as she held out bagels and coffee, "Eric and I thought you could use a little reprieve from Godzilla."

"Are you calling me Godzilla!" Blair exclaimed as she appeared seemingly out of thin air.

"No," Serena shook her head quickly, "I was referring to Rosa as Godzilla. Did you know she slapped Nate upside the head a few weeks ago? He wasn't happy about it."

"He probably deserved it," Blair replied, "Are those bagels for me? I'm starving."

"Sure," Serena replied as she handed the bag to Blair before it was ripped out.

"Are they for me or not?" Blair glared at her.

"They're partly for you," Serena responded, "But we were thinking we could share."

"Forget it, I don't want your stupid bagels," Blair replied as she tossed the bag back at Serena, not so subtly aiming for Serena's head before she abruptly left the entryway.

Serena silently mouthed to Chuck for fear that Blair was lurking around the corner ready to pounce again, "Oh my god!"

"Is she always like that?" Eric whispered.

"For the past few weeks," Chuck nodded, "S, you got off easy. At least you caught the bagels. I've had many items thrown at my head that I never saw coming."

"I think we may need to perform an exorcism," Serena replied, "She's possessed."

"She's just uncomfortable," Chuck defended his wife, "The doctor says she has as many as three weeks to go. We'll make it."

"Are you sure?" Eric chimed in, "She seems more vindictive than usual. Are you sure certain body parts won't go missing during the night?"

"All sharp objects have been hidden, and I sleep with one eye open," Chuck laughed.

"Wow," Serena replied, "I could tell from the phone calls that she wasn't in the best of moods, but I had no idea it was this bad. Chuck, you deserve some sort of award for putting up with this."

"I'll have one in just a few weeks," Chuck assured her, "It's a small price to pay."

Their conversation came to a halt as there was a high pitch whistle coming from the direction Blair had ventured. Chuck cringed at the sound like someone would upon hearing nails scraping against a chalkboard.

"You gave her a whistle?" Serena's eyes went wide with horror.

"She demanded one," Chuck replied, "She was watching 'The Sound of Music' and thought it would be a good idea to have one so that I could be signaled if she needed either me or Rosa as the manor is rather large, but that's Rosa's signal. We have a few minutes before she figures out Rosa is out of the manor on an errand."

"Well, I've come to provide you with a reprieve," Serena steeled her nerves for what surely lay ahead, "You'd better leave before I change my mind."

Another shrill whistle rang out.

"Is that you?" Eric inquired as he recognized a different pattern in the sound.

"Unfortunately," Chuck sighed, "I'll be back in a few minutes…hopefully."

* * *

"Chuck, Rosa's not answering my whistle," Blair pouted as Chuck found her sitting in the entertainment room, which had turned into her haven. She had two destinations in the manor, their bedroom and the entertainment room, with frequent stops at every bathroom in between.

"She's at the market," Chuck replied, "Remember you sent her out to find some peppermint tea because you drank the last of it."

"Inexcusable," Blair scoffed.

"What can I get you?" Chuck offered his services.

"I left my Cosmo in our bedroom. I wanted her to get it for me. I was reading this really great article," Blair replied.

"I'll get it for you," Chuck stated, "And then Eric and I are going out for a little while. Will you play nice with Serena while I'm gone?"

Blair glared at him as she snatched her whistle and blew it in his face merely to spite him.

"I love you too," he responded calmly as he kissed the tip of her nose.

* * *

"It's so quiet," Eric marveled as he and Chuck returned to the manor after a few hours of strolling along the streets of Manhattan. It had been Chuck's idea as he was mostly confined to the manor and wanted an excuse to stretch his legs.

"Wait for it," Chuck replied. It was only moments later that the whistle sounded. "Serena must have been given her own signal."

Sure enough Serena came running through the entryway loaded down with items. She was too frazzled to notice either man.

"I'm going to head out before I've given my own signal," Eric stated.

"Wise man," Chuck stated, "Thanks for the exercise."

"Good luck," Eric replied as he darted out the door.

Serena appeared again, apparently on another mission. "Oh thank god," Serena sighed as she came to a screeching halt, "I've been running around here like a mad woman since you left. First she wanted her toenails painted. Then she wanted her hair curled. Then I brought down the wrong curling iron. Now she wants a manicure, but keeps changing her mind regarding what color she wants her nails to be painted. She has lost her flippin' mind. How are you able to put up with this? That damn whistle has not stopped ringing. I'm about ready to ram it down her throat."

Chuck responded with a hearty laugh. "Welcome to my world."

"You know what, tag, you're it," Serena stated as she patted his shoulder and snatched her coat from the closet. "I'm leaving."

The whistle interrupted any response he was going to give.

"That's you," Serena replied as she darted out of the door faster than Eric had moments earlier.

Chuck could only laugh as he made his way towards the beautiful beast. He couldn't find any way to be annoyed by her, even though he could see what Serena and Eric had made such a swift getaway. He was just so excited for the blessing that he would be welcoming within the next few weeks.

"Chuck, thank god, you're home," Blair sighed in relief as he appeared, "Serena was driving me crazy. First she wanted to paint my toenails. Then she wanted to curl my hair. Then she insisted on giving me a manicure. I kept sending her upstairs for different colors of nail polish so that she wouldn't touch my fingers. Tell me you chased her out of here."

"I think you did that all on your own with that little whistle of yours," he chuckled.

"Yet another use for this little beauty," Blair proclaimed as she kissed the end of the instrument, "Most useful gift I've ever received."

"How about we retire the whistle for a few hours?" Chuck suggested as he gently pried it from her hands and set it out of her reach.

"It's annoying you, isn't it?" she frowned.

"A little," he nodded.

"I'm sorry," she began to pout.

"It's okay," he assured her as he sunk into the sofa next to her, tempting fate by putting his arm around her shoulders, running his fingers through the recently added curls, "I know this is hard for you. The baby is kicking all the time. You are dealing with copious amounts of gas. You have to pee every time you sit down, and standing by yourself is nearly impossible. You haven't seen your feet in weeks."

"Months," she corrected him, "The only reason I let Serena paint my toenails is because I knew I'd never see them even if it ended in disaster."

"Let me see," he urged her to produce her feet.

"What color are they?" she inquired as she lifted her feet and began wiggling her toes.

"Baby blue, very appropriate," he smirked, "They look good."

"Great, the one time I want to see them and can't," she sighed.

Chuck pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly snapped a picture to show her.

"Awe, they're cute," she smiled, "So maybe I was being a little hard on Serena."

"I'm sure she understands," he stated as he kissed her cheek.

"Did you and Eric have fun?" she asked.

"We just walked around the city for a little while. It felt good to stretch my legs," he replied, "I bought you something."

"Gimme," she demanded as she held out her hands.

"Close your eyes," Chuck reached behind the sofa where he'd hidden his gift. He set it in her hands and then told her to open her eyes.

Blair opened her eyes and smiled at the stuffed red apple toy in her hands that he found at a tacky gift shop near Central Park. "It's so cute. Is it for the baby?"

"It can be for the baby if you want it to be, or you can keep it for yourself," he replied, "I'll leave that decision up to you."

"I'll keep it," she proclaimed as she clutched it close to her chest, "The baby already has way more toys than he'll ever be able to play with anyways."

"That's my girl," he chuckled as he kissed the tip of her nose.

**TBC. . .**

**So, we're getting pretty close. Are you excited?**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**It's time…**

"Wake up, my beautiful wife, its Valentine's Day," Chuck whispered as he brushed the petals of the reddest rose he could find along her cheek, "I bought you a little something. It's sparkly."

"It better be more than a little something," she grumbled as she opened her eyes. There was no joy in her eyes that the holiday would usually bring. She was beyond miserable, and her eyes reflected that.

"Did you sleep well?" he inquired.

"Did you?" she glared at him. Of course neither of them had slept well with having to work in tandem to get her up and down for her many trips to the bathroom throughout the night.

"Open it," Chuck encouraged her as he handed over the jewelry box from Tiffany's.

"You're lucky it's from Tiffany's," she glared at him as she opened the box, resisting the temptation to throw the lid at his head. Inside was a diamond and pearl butterfly broach. She gave the faintest hint of a smile as she admired the gift, her first glimpse of a smile in a week.

"Is that a smile?" he teased, "I think I see a smile."

"Don't press your luck," she shifted back to her menacing stare before she pulled the broach from the box to admire it. "Chuck, this is beautiful."

"Doesn't compare to you," he replied as he kissed her lips lightly.

Suddenly the gift was cast aside as Blair fisted his shirt in her hands and brought him to her, "Chuck, I can't take it anymore. We have to get this baby out of me."

"You still have another week until the baby is due," he told her calmly as he tried to loosen her grip without success.

"I don't care," she replied, "I'm so uncomfortable. I can't get up or sit down without help. I look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame when I try to put underwear on. I haven't seen my feet in weeks. I have to go to the bathroom every five minutes."

"I know you're uncomfortable," he told her gently, "And I'm sorry that I can't make it any easier for you, but there isn't anything we can do."

"Yes, there is," she moaned, "We can try more spicy foods. There's that tea I can drink, or maybe if we took a walk somewhere."

"We've tried the spicy food and the tea," he reminded her, "And we've started that walk several times, but you had to go the bathroom as soon as we left the house."

"Please, Chuck," she pouted, "Even if I'm due in a week, there is no guarantee that I'll go into labor then. This could drag on another couple of weeks."

"There was something that I read," he stated hesitantly, "But I don't think you'll be up for it."

"I'm up for anything, Chuck," she told him.

"Sex," he stated.

"What!" she exclaimed.

"I've read that sex can sometimes start a woman's labor," he replied, "And the doctor told us that we shouldn't be having sex anymore because it could induce you before you were ready."

"You're just horny," she growled as she released his shirt and pushed him away.

"You have no idea how much that is true," he head bobbed up and down as he gave his honest reply, "But I would never suggest it merely to satisfy my own lust."

"Chuck, if you attached me to some string I could float down the streets of New York during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," she replied, "How could you possibly even consider wanting to have sex with me?"

"Because I love you, and even though you think you look like a blimp, I think you are the most beautiful woman in the world," he explained calmly, "There hasn't been a day during this pregnancy that I haven't wanted to make love to you."

"Flattery is not going to convince me," she glared at him.

"Fine," he replied with a casual shrug, "We'll just wait the little tiger out."

Blair grabbed hold of his shirt again and tugged him towards her, mashing her lips against his suddenly with such force that he knew he'd be bruised. His brain struggled to catch up as she tore his shirt open. "You'd better be ready for me," she growled as she fiddled with his trousers, trying to get them open as quickly as possible. A month long drought had Chuck ready much quicker than he'd anticipated as he shifted into the position.

Blair felt something peculiar just as Chuck slid inside her.

"Chuck, stop," Blair gasped as she pushed on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he whispered as he froze, "Am I hurting you?"

"I…ah…" Blair fumbled for an answer as she pushed him away completely. "I…um…" Suddenly it happened. "Oh god, my water just broke."

"What!" Chuck exclaimed.

"I'm definitely in labor," she replied as the panic set in.

"Okay, don't panic," he stated, "We're prepared for this. Your suitcase is downstairs by the front door. Arthur has been forbidden to move the limo for a week. Let's get a nightgown and some shoes on you and get you downstairs."

"Oh god, I'm not ready for this," she continued to panic as she grasped his hand tightly when he tried to pull away, "Chuck, make it stop."

"Hey, look at me," he gently coaxed her eyes to lock with his, "Yes, you are. You can do this. You are the strongest, most courageous person that I've ever met. You can do this."

"Okay," she nodded slightly. She still didn't believe she could give birth, but the thought that he believed in her made her at least want to try.

"Let me go get you a nightgown, and then we'll go," he stated. She nodded again as she released his hand so he could leave the bed. She watched him shed his ruined clothes as he went. She'd nearly torn his clothes from his body in her haste to make love to him. He reappeared moments later, fully dressed with a cotton nightgown in his hands. It was the one that she had selected weeks earlier for just this event.

"Ready?" Chuck inquired once she was in her nightgown.

She nodded as he helped her out of bed.

"We're having a baby," he told her as he kissed her lips softly before he ushered her out of the room.

* * *

"Mrs. Bass, you're at eight centimeters," her doctor examined her upon arrival, "We still have a little bit of time. Relax as much as you can. I'll be back to check on you shortly."

"Relax as much as you can," Blair mocked her doctor once it was just her and her husband left in the room, "Easy for her to say, she doesn't have a watermelon wanting to squirt out of her vagina."

Chuck bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"You called everyone, didn't you?" Blair asked.

"I called Lily," Chuck replied, "She assured me that she'd take care of calling everyone. They're probably already in the waiting room."

"Will you go check?" she asked, "And get me some ice chips on the way back."

"Of course," he nodded as he kissed her temple.

"My earrings, Chuck, I need my earrings," she stated as she touched her bare lobes, "You brought my earrings, didn't you?"

"They are in your bag," Chuck assured her as he reached into her bag and produced the box she needed. "I'll be right back."

"Chuck, don't take too long," she called out to him as he reached the door to her room.

"I'll be right back," he vowed once more as he returned to her side for a moment to kiss her forehead.

"How is she, Charles?" Eleanor inquired as Chuck appeared in the waiting room in the set of scrubs he'd been given when they'd first arrived.

"Uncomfortable, anxious, scared," Chuck admitted, "She's masking it with her special brand of bitchiness, but I can see it in her eyes."

"She needs you, Charles," Eleanor stated as she grasped her son-in-law's hand, "She needs you to be strong for her."

"I know," he nodded, "I'm going to be there every step of the way. The doctor says that it might be awhile, so I guess you all should get comfortable."

"If you need anything, even if it's a few minutes to catch your breath, come find us," Lily added as she rubbed his shoulder to offer him some comfort. She knew her son. She knew how difficult this was on him; she also knew that he couldn't show his fear.

"I will," he nodded.

"Chuck, tell Blair that we love her and that we can't wait to greet the newest member of our family," Serena added.

"I will," he repeated with another nod.

"Be strong for her, Charles," Eleanor stated a second time.

Chuck continued nodding as Eleanor released his hand. He returned to Blair with a strengthened resolve.

"Everyone is here and anxiously waiting to meet our little bundle of joy," Chuck announced as he returned with the ice chips. Blair was in the midst of a contraction. Chuck rushed to her side and grasped her hand, coaching her through her breathing.

"That was the strongest one yet," Blair announced as she relaxed against the bed once the sensation had subsided.

"I'm sorry I took so long," he apologized as he filled a cup with the ice chips and handed it to her.

"It's probably Serena's fault," she snorted, "She was likely talking your ear off."

"I see you managed to get my mother's earrings in before the contraction hit," he changed the subject as he kissed her lobe lightly.

"I want your parents close to us today," she explained, "I know they are looking out for us. They won't let anything bad happen."

Chuck nodded as he kissed her cheek softly.

"We have time on our hands," Blair stated, "Any ideas on filling it?"

"I brought the chess board," he smirked.

"Loser has to have this baby," Blair laid down her stakes.

"I wish I could," Chuck replied as he kissed her hands.

"Well, you can't," she hissed, "So set up the board and make the first move."

* * *

Blair's labor progressed slowly. She went up to nine centimeters dilated, then to nine and a half, then back to nine. As each hour passed, Blair's frustration increased. The chessboard was put away and then taken back out. Chuck tried valiantly to keep Blair mind occupied, but the steady interruption of contractions made his attempts pointless.

"This baby is never coming out," Blair groaned in frustration as Serena and Eleanor joined her in her private room to give Chuck time to walk the floor to burn off the nervous energy that was building.

"Yes, he will," Eleanor assured her as she wiped Blair's forehead, "He just doesn't want to leave the safety that you provided for almost nine months. You weren't in much of a hurry either."

"I'm sorry," Blair gasped as another contraction hit.

"It's okay, Sweetie," her mother assured her as she took a hold of Blair's hand and helped her along. "It's not your fault. Babies come in their own time. I promise the effort is worth it."

"It has to be," Blair nodded as she fought through the contraction.

"You're getting close," Eleanor announced. She could feel it. The contractions were coming quicker. They were stronger. "You're almost there. You just have to be a little more patient. Can you do that, Blair?"

"Yes," she nodded as she crushed Serena's hand with her own, almost bringing the blonde to her knees, as she tried to tolerate the pain, "Whatever it takes."

"You're doing great, B," Serena added as she tried not to show how much pain she was in.

"I need Chuck," Blair demanded.

"Okay," Serena nodded as she peeled Blair's fingers away from her hand, "I'll get him."

"And the doctor," Eleanor added.

"I'll get Chuck and the doctor," Serena stated as she flew out of the room.

"I have to push," Blair panted.

"Not yet, Sweetheart," Eleanor stated, "You have to wait."

"No," Blair shook her head.

"Blair, look at me," Eleanor demanded as Blair continued to insist on pushing, "You have to wait."

Chuck flew into the room with her doctor hot on his heels.

"Alright, Mrs. Bass, it's time," the doctor announced after a very brief examination, "We're moving you into delivery."

"Finally," Blair fell back against the bed in relief as the orderlies came in to wheel her out.

"Chuck, stay strong," Eleanor instructed her daughter's husband one final time.

"Thank you, Eleanor," Chuck nodded as he grasped Blair's hand and jogged alongside her gurney as she was wheeled into the delivery room.

"Okay, Blair, when you feel the next contraction starting, I need for you to take a deep breath and begin pushing," the doctor announced once everyone was situated in the room with the necessary staff members all around ready to do their part. "And Daddy, you need to help Mommy, okay."

Chuck and Blair both nodded as their eyes locked.

"Ready?" Chuck asked her.

"As ready as I can be," Blair nodded. Chuck kissed her forehead just as the first contraction took hold. Blair cried out in pain as she pushed as hard as she could.

"Good, Blair, you're doing well," the doctor told her dutifully between each contraction. "The baby's head is crowning. Dad, if you want you can take a peek before the next contraction?"

"I'll think I'll stay up here," Chuck shook the doctor's suggestion off.

"Okay, Blair, the next push and the head should be out," the doctor stated as the next contraction began, "Another big push."

Blair groaned in pain as she pushed through the contraction as it hit.

"Okay, now for the shoulders," the doctor stated as Blair fell back against the bed after pushing with all her might. "Come on, Blair, all I need is the shoulders and then you're done. That's one final push."

"One more push," Chuck echoed.

Blair nodded as the next contraction built. She screamed out in pain as she pushed as hard as she could while her eyes locked with Chuck's. She could hear his words of praise through the commotion. The pain was nearly unbearable, but Chuck's voice kept her grounded. Suddenly he was telling her to relax. She was done.

"Do you see him?" Blair asked.

"Yes, I see him," Chuck nodded as he laid eyes on his son for the first time as the tears stung his eyes, "He's beautiful. He's covered in a lot of goo, but he's beautiful."

"He's not crying, Chuck," Blair gasped in panic as she clutched his hand tighter than she had even during the most painful moment of labor, "Why isn't he crying? Is there something wrong?"

"It's just the fluid in his lungs, Blair," the doctor assured her, "The nurse has to clear it out. It can take a moment."

"Chuck," Blair gasped in panic. She felt her heart stop just before she heard the most wonderful sound she'd ever hear in her life as their son began to wail. "Thank god," Blair sighed in relief as she slumped back against the bed.

"Did you want to cut the cord, Dad?" the nurse asked.

"I'll be right back," Chuck told Blair as he kissed her sweaty forehead.

Blair tried to look around everyone in the room to get her first glimpse of her son, but there were too many people in the way. The few moments Chuck was away were pure torture. She could hear their son, but she couldn't see him.

"Yes, I know," Chuck babbled to the still wailing infant as he stepped towards Blair with their son in his arms, "I know how upset you are having to leave Mommy like that. That would make me very upset too."

Blair laughed softly as he bounced from side to side with their son in his arms. She was exhausted, her body felt like jelly, but she willed her arms to hold their son as Chuck lowered him to her.

"Hi there," Blair laughed as she kissed her son's forehead as the warmth of his body took over her. She was in love. She never thought it was possible, but she found a love stronger than what she felt for her husband. "Grandma was right. The exhaustion is worth it."

"Thank you, Blair," Chuck whispered as he bent down to kiss her forehead.

"He's perfect, isn't he," Blair marveled as she soaked in his tiny little features, taking the time to count each little finger and each little toe.

"All the best of you and me," Chuck agreed, "More you than me."

"I'm so tired, Chuck," she confessed as she pressed her cheek to that of her little boy.

"I know. You just pushed an eight pound, eight ounce baby out of your body," he nodded.

"Eight is a lucky number if you believe Chinese legend," Blair smiled.

"Then we're doubly lucky," he replied, "And I promise you can sleep soon."

"I don't want to give him up, but will you take him? My entire body feels like jelly," Blair requested as she lifted their son up slightly.

Chuck cradled the little boy in his arms.

The chaos continued all around them, but Blair and Chuck were focused solely on their perfect little boy, nestled safely in his father's arms, giving his lungs a good first workout. For the moment, the baby's cries were the sweetest sound they could hear.

**TBC. . .**

**I have to thank my splendorific beta, Lori2279 and all of you readers. Fear not, we have a few more chapters in this little fic left. Stay tuned.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Go show him off," Blair encouraged Chuck once they were settled back into her private room. Blair was fighting with all her might to keep her eyes open, but she knew it was a losing battle. As soon as a moment of quiet hit, she was going to be out.

"We'll stay with you," Chuck shook his head.

"Go," Blair insisted, "Our family is itching to see him. I'll be alright by myself. Just don't take too long."

"We'll be right back," Chuck assured her as he kissed her forehead as he took their precious angel with him into the waiting room.

Blair relaxed further back against her bed as her fingers caressed her earrings, the earrings from Chuck's mother that he'd given her on their wedding night. Looking to the ceiling, she muttered a simple, "Thank you." And then she was asleep.

The waiting room erupted with excitement as Chuck entered the room with his son.

"Oh my god!" Serena exclaimed as she rushed to his side to take her first peek. She would have demanded to hold her nephew except he was crying, "He's so cute."

"Charles, he's perfect," Lily added as she reached for and kissed her grandson's tiny little hand, "He's so tiny."

"How's Blair?" Eleanor asked as she kissed the little boy's other hand.

"Exhausted," Chuck replied, "But that's to be expected after nearly fourteen hours of labor. She did great."

"What's his name, Charles?" Harold inquired as he peered over Eleanor's shoulder to get his first glimpse.

"We haven't gotten round to that yet," Chuck admitted, "Blair's so tired. We'll get there. Our goal is to have a name before we leave the hospital. I figured Blair would want a little sleep before we make such an important decision."

"As long as you two settle on something before he graduates from college," Nate quipped as he wrapped his arms around Serena as he looked over her shoulder. He could tell she was itching to have the baby in her arms, but the constant cries continued to keep her at bay.

"You'd better get him back to his mother," Eleanor coaxed Chuck back to Blair's room. Serena's face turned to a pout, but Eleanor's tone was not to be ignored, nor did Chuck want to be away from Blair for a moment longer. "She won't want to be away from her son for too long."

Chuck returned to Blair's private room just as the baby began to settle down. His wife was sound asleep with the most peaceful smile on her face. He felt his heart soar as his love for her rose to heights it didn't know existed.

"You and I are the luckiest men in the world," Chuck whispered to his son as he made himself comfortable in the chair next to Blair's bed, "We have the most beautiful woman in the world, and she cares for us as no one else ever will."

His son looked at him with his chocolate eyes. Chuck found himself sucked in to their familiar depths. His son had Blair's eyes.

"So what are we going to call you?" Chuck asked his son, "Do you have any ideas? Any requests?"

He watched as his son gave a healthy yawn as his eyes drifted closed.

"I guess that's a no," he laughed softly, "That's okay. Mommy and I will come up with something. I promise you won't be named Baby Boy Bass for the rest of your life. We'll arrive at some sort of compromise."

The little boy fell fast asleep as Chuck cradled him in his arms, wrapping the tiny hand around one of his fingers. He probably should have been as exhausted as Blair and his son. He'd been getting less sleep than Blair for months, but he didn't feel tired. If anything he felt more awake and alive than he had in years.

Blair's nap didn't last more than an hour as the cries of her son woke her abruptly, though she didn't mind. The smile she slept with was still on her face as the nurse came in to announce that it was time to give breastfeeding a try.

Chuck waited until Blair was situated before he handed their boy off.

The nurse was very patient with the instructions she gave Blair. It took a few minutes and a bit of coaxing, but Blair's first attempt to feed their son was a success. The nurse gave a reassuring smile before she vanished from the room.

"This feels weird," Blair stated as she looked into Chuck's eyes, "Nothing like I thought it would."

"What were you expecting?" he inquired as he took a seat at the end of her bed and caressed her leg gently through the blanket.

"I don't know," she replied, "But different than this."

"How are you feeling?" Chuck inquired.

"Like I just pushed a watermelon out of my body," she replied, "Sore and stretched out, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"Ready for more children already, huh," he smirked.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she laughed. The movement caused their son's lips to fall away. Blair panicked for a moment. Chuck shifted on the bed to help her, sitting behind her and rubbing her shoulders softly as she resumed feeding her son.

"He needs a name," Chuck replied.

"He doesn't look like a Linus, does he?" she sighed at the realization that her hopes of naming him after Humphrey Bogart's character in "Sabrina" were suddenly dashed.

"Doesn't look like a Henry either," Chuck added, as he crossed the "My Fair Lady" reference from their list.

"He doesn't look like any of the names on our list," Blair frowned, "He deserves a special name, one that doesn't come from a movie."

"Any thoughts?"

"How about Caden or Cassius or Miles or Winston?" she inquired, as she ticked off a few of the backup names she'd come up with just in case they ran into this very scenario. Yet even as she said them, none of them felt right.

"Lucas," Chuck offered.

Blair face suddenly lit up in excitement, "Luca."

Chuck knew what that look meant. She wasn't getting an Audrey movie reference. She was getting something even better, the name of one of her idol's sons, but he couldn't deny how well the name fit their son.

"Luca fits," Chuck nodded, "Luca Harold Bass. Are you making this your final answer?"

"Yes," she nodded, "We agreed that I had final say because I went through all the work of bring him into the world, so Luca Harold Bass it is."

"Welcome to the world, Luca," Chuck replied as he caressed his son's head before he kissed Blair's cheek.

"Chuck, would you rub my back?" Blair requested.

"I'll rub anything you want me to. You have earned it," Chuck stated as he began his gentle massage, "You were fantastic in the delivery room. I'm so proud of you. You didn't even threaten me or my manhood."

"Perhaps not out loud," she sighed, "But I promise you that I was thinking it."

"Justifiably so," he chuckled.

"Chuck, I hope it's okay if Luca is the only gift I gave you for Valentine's Day," she replied as she looked at the clock to see they were many hours past midnight on the day after Valentine's Day, "Even if it was a few hours delayed."

"You never have to give me another gift every again no matter the holiday," he stated, "You certainly couldn't top this one."

Luca's lips fell away.

"Is that it?" Blair inquired as she looked to Chuck, "Does that mean he's done?"

"You're asking me?"

"Well I don't know," Blair stated.

"I know less than you," he reminded her, "Maybe we should try that burping thing we read about. Maybe he's just run out of room in his tiny tummy."

"How do we do that?" Blair asked.

"You just put him on your shoulder and pat his back, don't you?"

"Who knew that feeding an infant could be this complicated," she sighed as she gingerly picked Luca up and placed him against her shoulder. She patted his back gently a few times until they heard a little hiccup. Along with the hiccup came some of the milk that dribbles down her bare shoulder. "Ugh," she cringed, "This must be what those burp rags are for. Chuck, wipe that off."

"With what?" he asked as he looked for something that could work.

"Your sleeve for all I care, just get it off," she demanded. Luca started to fuss at Blair's sudden agitated state.

"Calm down, Blair," Chuck tried to soothe her as he wiped the spit up off of her, "He reacts to you. He feeds off your emotions just as he did when he was inside of you."

Blair took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down.

"Why don't you try feeding him again?" Chuck encouraged her.

"Maybe I should try the other breast," Blair pondered, "They won't get lopsided if he drinks more out of one than the other, will they?"

"I'll pay for breast augmentation if they do," he assured her.

"I don't want breast augmentation," she replied, "I also don't want lopsided boobs."

"I'm sure they will even out," he told her as she shifted Luca to her other breast. It took a bit more coaxing, but soon Luca was sucking away again. "Lucky little boy. I hope you enjoy those breasts. I promise he'll never find any better."

"Chuck," she shook her head in amusement.

* * *

"So I've been very patient," Serena announced herself as she barged into Blair's room as Chuck and Blair were in the middle of a lesson from one of the nurses about how to bathe their son. Luca was eighteen hours old, and she still hadn't had the privilege of holding him. She wasn't going to stand for it any longer. "I want to hold my nephew right now."

"Sorry, S, it will have to wait," Blair replied, "When bath time is finished, I have to feed him, and then Chuck is taking him to get circumcised."

"No," Serena moaned, "That's not fair. All the grandparents have held him. It's time to extend the courtesy to the aunts and uncles."

"You'll have to wait," Chuck replied as he patted Luca dry.

"This is so unfair," Serena huffed as she plopped herself down in the chair near Blair's bed, "He's going to be cranky after that."

"You might have to hold him when he's cranky if you want to hold him," Blair stated as she and Chuck continued to keep most of their attention on Luca. Both parents were grinning ear to ear as they bantered with Serena, though the smiles were directed more towards Luca than any amusement they felt about Serena's current tantrum.

"But he's cranky and he won't let me hold him very long," Serena continued to pout.

"Some godmother she's going to be," Chuck shook his head in amusement as he handed Blair a diaper.

"Godmother, really," Serena cheered up immediately, "You're going to make me Luca's godmother."

"Unless you know of another best friend that Blair has," Chuck replied, "Maybe we should give Gossip Girl the honor?"

"The hell you will!" Serena exclaimed.

"Language," Blair turned to scold her best friend, "We are PG now remember."

"Sorry," Serena apologized quickly.

"There, all clean and dry," Blair proclaimed as she scooped up Luca into her arms and cradled him close to her chest, "Now you just need a full belly, don't you, Luca?"

"Did you want some privacy?" Serena asked as Blair settled into the chair that she'd vacated for her.

"It's okay," Blair assured her, "I don't mind if you stay. Now if it was that boyfriend of yours, his backside would be booted right out the door."

"I can't get over how tiny he is," Serena stated as she held Luca's hand as he began his feeding.

"He wasn't all that tiny yesterday," Blair replied.

"Are you still sore?" Serena inquired.

"God, yes," Blair nodded, "But I'd do this again in a heartbeat if this is the payoff."

"Luca is quite the charmer," Serena replied. Though trying to come up with an example of his charm was difficult. She hadn't seen him do much besides cry and sleep, but she was a proud aunt nevertheless.

"Like his daddy," Blair smiled as she locked eyes with Chuck, who was standing a few feet away.

"I wouldn't go that far," Serena rolled her eyes, "This little cutie is a heck of a lot more handsome than his good for nothing father."

"I'm good for something," Chuck replied, "That little cutie wouldn't exist without some sort of contribution from me."

"So you got lucky once," Serena shrugged.

"Behave," Blair scolded Serena, "He played an important part in this little one's existence. He deserves the credit he's due."

"Fine," Serena sighed as she turned towards Chuck, "Thank you for contributing your sperm."

"You're very welcome," he chuckled.

"I have so many questions," Serena replied as she bent forward and kissed Luca's hand.

"Not now, S," Blair groaned, "I don't have the energy."

"Fine, I'll write them down," Serena replied, "Then we'll have a girl's night."

"It's going to be a long while before we can do that," Blair replied, "I'm planning on breastfeeding Luca for at least the first three months."

"I can be patient," Serena replied.

"Since when," Chuck snorted in amusement.

"Fine, I'll learn," Serena shot back.

"While you figure that out, I'm going to bond with my son over something that you women just can't fathom," Chuck replied as he lifted Luca into his arms after pulling out a burp cloth from their bag and positioning it on his shoulder.

"Jock itch?" Serena theorized.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," Chuck stated as he positioned Luca against his shoulder and rubbed his back gently.

"Bring him back as quick as you can," Blair smiled at him as she buttoned up.

"As quick as I can," he vowed as bent over to allow Blair to kiss the top of Luca's head before he brought his lips to hers. "I'll guard him with my life."

"I know," Blair smiled as she caressed his chin as he turned to leave.

* * *

"Here you go, Mister Bass," the nurse handed his son back after his procedure. Chuck had been pacing back and forth since he'd handed his son off. It was a simple procedure, but Chuck couldn't help his worry. He was going to be one of those fathers that hovered.

Chuck could tell by the sounds of Luca's cry that he wasn't happy. It amazed the new father that he was already starting to tell the difference in the cries he was hearing. All cries sounded the same to him in the rare occasion he'd found himself around babies in what felt like an entire lifetime ago.

"Did he do okay?" Chuck inquired as he cradled Luca in his arms.

"By far the best baby we've had in quite awhile," the nurse appeared to be humoring Chuck.

"That's my boy," Chuck proclaimed as he brought Luca back to Blair's private hospital suite.

"He sounds upset," Blair frowned as Chuck entered the room where Serena had stayed to keep the new mother company as they waited through Luca's procedure. Luca was still crying his little lungs out.

"You men are so sensitive about your private areas," Serena replied.

"I'm not even going there," Chuck replied as he lowered Luca into his mother's comforting arms. As eager as he was to have a new son, Luca didn't seem all that eager to have him for a father. In the day and a half they'd had together, it was rare that Luca wasn't crying in Chuck's arms, and it frustrated the hell out of Chuck.

"I know that was unpleasant," Blair cooed to her son as he snuggled in, "But you only have to go through that once in your entire life. Daddy says he doesn't even remember it, so I know you won't either."

"He's so cute," Serena exclaimed as she snatched up his hand and kissed it, "You just want to eat him up with a spoon."

"Cannibalism is frowned upon," Chuck replied.

"Not literally," Serena rolled her eyes.

"Do you want to try holding him?" Blair offered.

"He's still crying," Serena pointed out the obvious.

"Then you won't be the reason he starts up," Blair replied, "He's a good cuddler."

"I'll wait," Serena waved Blair off.

"All right, but you're the one whining about not holding him," Blair stated.

"Fine, I'll hold him," Serena stated as she slid forward in her chair and prepared to accept the hand off of her nephew.

Blair transferred Luca into Serena's arms and helped Serena adjust so that his head was properly supported.

"I'm going to break him," Serena stated after she held her nephew for a few minutes. His cries had lessened but hadn't subsided, and he was starting to squirm.

"Then for heaven's sake give him back," Blair gasped as she quickly reclaimed her son.

"I was kidding," Serena pouted as her arms were now bare.

"You can't say things like that to me," Blair replied as she settled back into her chair with her son held tight to her chest. She wasn't going to give Serena another crack at it.

"Mama Bear is very protective of her little cub," Chuck explained to Serena.

**TBC. . .**

**So Baby Bass has a name. I hope you all like it. I went back and forth for quite awhile trying to come up with the right one. I even have a list that I added to and crossed off. Luca caught my attention, but I almost changed it. I honestly didn't know that one of Audrey Hepburn's sons had that name until a month or so after I'd first tried out the name. Needless to say I changed my mind and kept it.**

**I have to thank my beta Lori2279 for her help. I also have to thank you all for still reading this.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Are we ready?" Blair took a deep breath as she lowered their little boy into the infant carrier. They'd been in the hospital for three days. They'd asked the nurses and doctors every question they could think of on how to care for an infant. Now they were about to be discharged. Luca was dressed in the most handsome little suit, tailor made by Blair's mother at her request, complete with a little bowtie.

"Can we ever be ready?" Chuck asked as he watched Blair fiddle with Luca's outfit, making sure that it was straight and that the little bowtie wasn't going to obstruct his breathing. To say she was an overprotective mother was putting it mildly.

"Good point, let's just stay here for the next eighteen years," she replied.

"We aren't doing this alone," Chuck reminded her. Lily, Eleanor and Serena were all staying in their home for the next few weeks to help them out.

"This is so nerve wracking," she replied as she buckled Luca in, "Every little decision that we make can influence who this person is going to be. What if we screw him up?"

"Then we'll unleash another Chuck Bass on the world," he chuckled.

"That's not funny," she glared at him.

"I'm sure that every new parent feels the same way we are currently feeling," Chuck tried to soothe her frazzled nerves. In truth, he was feeling just as panicked and unsure of himself as she was. Now wasn't the time to show it. At least Blair was able to hold Luca without him screaming his little head off. Chuck wasn't so lucky. "If you are truly feeling unprepared, we can stay a few more days, but you'll only be delaying the inevitable."

"I know," she sighed as she finished buckling Luca into the carrier before she bent over to kiss his tiny little hand. She hadn't been able to stop kissing him since he was born. His skin felt so soft and warm, and he smelt so good.

"I'll go get our discharge paperwork," Chuck stated as he kissed her forehead.

"Okay," she nodded as she gave him a nervous smile. Chuck disappeared, leaving her alone with her son. Luca's eyes appeared to lock with hers. "I'm going to try my best, Luca, but you have to take it easy on me and Daddy. We don't really know what we're doing here." Luca cooed in response as she bent in again and kissed his hands repeatedly. She was still kissing him when Chuck returned with the necessary paperwork.

"We're ready to go," Chuck replied as he grasped her suitcase and diaper bag, "Grab the kid."

"Grab the kid," she scoffed, "I promise Daddy is just being silly. He would never really be so casual regarding your care and wellbeing."

* * *

The ride to their home was even more nerve wracking than actually leaving the hospital. It took Blair and Chuck several minutes to get the carrier secured in the backseat. Every time they felt Arthur apply the brakes, even just slightly, they reached for the carrier as if it was about to fly to the floor. If only they knew how panicked Arthur was in the driver's seat. He too was feeling apprehensive about shuttling the newest Bass around. He'd never had such precious cargo before.

"We're going to hover over this poor thing for weeks, aren't we?" Chuck realized as he took Luca's free hand into his. Blair had already claimed the other one and was babbling in an unintelligible language as a way of entertaining him as she hovered above him.

"Months," Blair corrected him, "He's going to learn how to talk quicker than any baby in the world just so he can tell us to go away."

Chuck could only laugh in reply as they pulled up in front of their home. Blair took another deep, cleansing breath to settle the nerves as they climbed out of the limo. She looked at the steps leading to their front door and groaned. She was still pretty sore, and each step up was going to hurt.

"I'll take him," Chuck offered as he handed the suitcase and diaper bag to Arthur, who he noticed looked a little shaky. He hoped his driver wasn't getting sick on him. If only he'd realized how nervous Arthur had been on the short trip from the hospital.

"Refresh my memory. Why did I want steps?" she inquired as she linked her arm into his as they started their climb.

"Because you wanted the idyllic home with all the comforts you were denied growing up," he replied as he took each step slowly, "You'll be appreciating these steps again in a few days when you're feeling better."

"We didn't really think this through," she replied as she winced slightly with each step, "We're going to have to lug Luca's stroller all the way down these stairs each time we want to take him for a walk or on an outing."

"We do have people to help us with that," Chuck reminded her, "I'm sure Arthur will be happy to carry the stroller up and down the stairs, won't you, Arthur."

"Oh yes, Mister Bass, I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to it," his loyal driver responded sarcastically as the jitters began to subside, "I lay awake at night just thinking about how much fun it is going to be for me."

"See, problem solved," Chuck laughed as they reached the top step. Chuck was about to open the door and step inside, but Blair reached out to stop him.

"I want to carry him inside," Blair explained as she set the carrier down and unbuckled Luca. Once he was secure in her arms she nodded towards the door to signal to Chuck that she was ready to step inside.

"Welcome home, Luca," Chuck stated as Blair crossed the threshold.

"Welcome home," Serena exclaimed as she popped out of her hiding space, surprising Blair, Chuck, and a now wailing Luca.

"Thanks, Serena, his lungs needed a good workout," Blair glared at her best friend.

"I hear a little baby," Lily stated as she and Eleanor appeared in the entryway, "It's been years since I've heard that sound and still had the urge to want to hold the precious little thing. Would you mind, Blair?"

"No, of course not," Blair replied as she transferred Luca into her arms, "Go to Grandma Lily, Luca."

"Lily, you look too young to be a grandmother," Eleanor chimed in.

"So do you," Lily laughed as she pranced around with Luca, trying every trick she could remember to get the baby to calm down.

"He's probably hungry," Blair stated as Luca continued to cry at his top volume, "It's been a few hours since I last fed him."

"I'll feed him," Serena offered as her hand shot up like a bookworm sitting in the front row of a classroom.

"Not sure those things are in working order," Chuck replied as he motioned briefly towards Serena's chest.

"Don't you have baby food or something I can give him?" she frowned.

"He's too young for baby food," Lily replied.

"Oh," Serena replied as she gave her mother's words a bit of thought before it finally occurred to her what Blair meant by feeding Luca, "OH! I guess I won't be feeding Luca. Can I at least burp him or something? I haven't been able to do hardly anything. Blair hardly let me hold him at the hospital."

"Tell you what, I'll let you change his next diaper," Chuck offered.

"With any luck, it will be one of those really stinky ones like the one that made me gag yesterday," Blair giggled into his ear before she turned to her mother-in-law, "I'll take him, Lily."

"Is there anything I can do?" Serena inquired with a slight pout as Blair reclaimed her son.

"Yes," Blair nodded, "Could you go ask Rosa if she could make some of her mint hot cocoa for me?"

"Absolutely, just think of me as your personal servant," Serena offered.

"The possibilities are endless," Blair laughed as Serena darted off on her mission, "I'm going to take him up to the nursery."

"Go get settled, Sweetheart," Eleanor replied, "Let us know if you need anything."

"I will," she replied as she and Chuck wandered off while giving Luca a brief tour of his new home as they went.

* * *

"…And this is your room," Blair stated as they entered the nursery, "And look, Daddy already had your name painted on the wall. He's so efficient, and he's added teddy bears to the room. Really, Chuck, teddy bears?"

"Do you not like them?" Chuck inquired as he motioned towards the mural on the wall and accessories scattered around the room, "I thought they'd go nicely with the mobile."

"I just never thought that teddy bears would be your thing," she replied, "I think they are adorable."

"Our son deserves adorable," Chuck stated.

"You're so different as a father," Blair marveled, "In a good way, you're softer."

"Does that mean I'm getting pudgy?" he inquired as he patted his belly.

"You might have gained a few pounds of sympathy weight with my pregnancy," she chuckled, "But no that's not what I meant. Maybe gentler is a better way of putting it."

"I'll take gentler," he replied as he ushered her towards the overstuffed chair and helped her get comfortable.

"Now this room feels complete," Blair sighed as she looked around at the additional furnishing Chuck had added as she fed Luca.

"It feels complete because Luca is in it," Chuck replied as he took a hold of Luca's hand, desperately needing to feel like a part of this moment Blair was sharing with him.

"He looks so cute in his little suit," Blair replied as she tugged lightly at the bowtie.

"I still think he's a tad overdressed," Chuck replied, "We should be more casual with his attire, at least while he's home. I'm not even in a suit today."

"Well today is a special day for him," she stated, "I wanted something that reflected how much."

"When you're done feeding him, perhaps we could put him in something a bit more comfortable," he suggested.

"After we take a couple of pictures of him in his crib. We have to capture this day for all of posterity," she insisted.

"Where did you put the camera?" he inquired. She'd been a little shutterbug at the hospital, capturing nearly every moment of Luca's life when she wasn't holding him, and demanding that her husband capture the moments she was. They'd already filled up multiple memory cards.

"In the diaper bag," Blair replied as she motioned towards the bag by the nursery door.

"You know, I haven't taken a picture yet of Luca being fed," he stated as he pulled the camera out and turned it on.

"Chuck, I look horrible," Blair screeched as she held out her hand to obstruct the camera's view.

"You look beautiful," he assured her as he maneuvered around her hand and took the picture.

"You're lucky I have a baby in my hands," she glared at him before returning her attention to her son, "He's so handsome. He looks like his daddy."

"It's not all me," Chuck replied as he stepped forward and touched Luca's little nose, "This is yours. His eyes are yours. His ears are yours."

"These cheekbones are yours. These lips are yours. This tuft of hair is yours," she replied.

"That could be yours too," he stated as his fingers tangled in her brunette locks. She hadn't taken the time to style her hair or put on a stitch of makeup, deeming Luca's needs to be more important than her own, but she still looked beautiful.

"No, I'm certain this is yours," she smirked, "Only your son could be this covered in hair so early. I was nearly bald until my second birthday."

"Is that your way of complaining about how hairy I am?" he chuckled, "Do I need to make an appointment with an esthetician?"

"Don't you dare," she gasped in horror, "I like you hairy. I like running my fingers through that hairy chest of yours after we've made love."

"Seems like forever ago," he sighed.

"We did try a few days ago," she reminded him.

"Yes, and we stopped before the good parts," he refreshed her memory, "And now we have to wait what feels like forever before we can again."

"It's just a few months," she insisted, "We've had longer dry spells than that before."

"Yes, but that was when you couldn't tolerate being in the same room as me. We share a bed now, remember."

"I definitely do," she smiled as she looked at the ring on his left hand before she looked to her hand, "Chuck, can you find my rings? I think they'll fit again."

Chuck nodded as he disappeared.

"Finally some alone time," Blair smiled as she wrapped her son's hand around one of her fingers, "We love Daddy, but he's been hovering since the moment you popped out. I promise he means well."

Luca's eyes drifted closed as he continued feeding. She knew these bonding moments were difficult for Chuck. He didn't have this same opportunity to bond with his son. As a result, Luca wasn't as comfortable with him as he was with her. In her arms, he drifted in and out of consciousness with a quiet disposition. With Chuck, he was fussy and squirmy and usually crying his lungs out. There was a clear frustration written across Chuck's face.

"Now Luca, we need to have our first mother to son talk," Blair stated. Luca's eyes came open in recognition of her voice. "Your daddy loves you more than anything in this world, and he will do absolutely anything for you. In return, you need to be gentle with him. He hasn't had eight, almost nine, months to bond with you the way I have, and that's not his fault. He will be the best daddy in the world to you, but you have to let him. No more squirming in his arms when he holds you. No more trying to shatter his eardrums with your crying. In return, I will get Daddy to relax when he holds you. Do we have a deal?"

Luca stared blankly at his mother, but he did manage to squeeze her hand slightly. She took that as his agreement to her proposition.

Chuck returned minutes later with her wedding and engagement ring in one hand and her hot cocoa in the other.

"I'd forgotten that we locked your rings up in our office safe," he stated as he knelt before her as he did when he'd proposed with the engagement ring extended, "I nearly had a heart attack when I didn't find them in your jewelry box. I almost accused poor Rosa."

"Shame on you," Blair scolded him as she freed her finger from Luca's hand and extended her hand to Chuck. She was grateful that the rings slid right back into place.

"I felt awful even thinking it," he nodded his head in agreement as he bent forward to kiss her hand, "Fortunately the office is on the way to her kitchen."

"Will you burp him when he's finished?" she requested, "I want to take a quick shower. The hospital shower head left a lot to be desired."

"Are you trying to exercise his lungs again?" Chuck frowned, "Maybe we can call Serena up to do it. She's so anxious to pitch in."

"I want you to do it," Blair stated calmly, "You're going to have to figure out a way to hold this little boy."

"I know how to hold him," he replied defensively, "He just screams bloody murder when I do."

"You just need to relax," she insisted, "You tense up when he's in your arms. I know he's really tiny and feels very fragile, but you're not going to break him."

"I don't know how to hold a baby, Blair," he stated, "I've never cared enough before now to want to hold one."

"But you care about Luca, so it's time you learn," she insisted as Luca's lips dropped away from her breast, showing his excellent timing. She rose up from the chair and instructed her husband to take a seat.

"Blair, this can wait," Chuck replied as he sunk into the chair with the knowledge that he didn't have any other option.

"No, it can't," she replied as she handed him a burping cloth to put over his shoulder, "You are going to figure this out right now. Now I command you to relax."

"Forcing a baby into my arms is not going to get me to relax," he scowled at her as he adjusted the cloth on his shoulder.

"Quit being such a pain in the ass," she returned his scowl with one of her own, "Now hold out your arms."

"I guess that PG rating went up to thirteen for a few moments," Chuck did as he was told though the scowl stayed pasted on his face as Blair lowered Luca into his arms. He could see his son suck in a gulp of air just before he started crying.

"Take a deep breath," Blair instructed Chuck, "I know it's hard with him crying, but you have to find a way. This is what being a parent is all about, finding a way."

Chuck took a few deep breaths. He tried to relax. He tried to calm his son, but it was no use. All Luca wanted to do was scream. He even tried to hand Luca back to his mother, but Blair had disappeared from the room. He was trapped, and he knew it.

"Okay, Luca," Chuck took another deep breath in a last ditch effort to calm himself as he shifted Luca to his shoulder and began rubbing his back, "We haven't gotten off to a very good start here, but we need to figure this out. We can't keep running to Mommy. We men need to stick together because odds are we're going to be outnumbered eventually, if we're not already."

Luca's cries began to soften.

"I can imagine how confusing this time is for you. You were well cared for in Mommy's tummy for almost nine months, and now you're out here. It must seem like you have to fend for yourself, but I promise you that is not true. Mommy and I will take exceptional care of you, but you have to let us," Chuck continued to speak to his son. A tiny burp interrupted his train of thought. "That was a good one, Luca."

Luca stopped crying.

"How about we get you out of this little suit?" Chuck suggested as he gingerly stood up and brought Luca into the closet where all his baby clothes were hanging. Chuck couldn't believe the sheer volume of clothes hanging. Luca could very well never wear the same item of clothing twice for the first few years of his life. "Mommy has excellent taste, but I think this is a little too formal. How about we pick out something a little more comfortable?"

He flipped through all the possible newborn options until he found a cute little teddy bear onesie that was the first article of clothing that Blair purchased for the baby. It seemed appropriate.

Laying Luca down on the changing table, Chuck removed the little suit that he was wearing and set it aside. He was about to slip on the onesie when he had a thought.

"I should change your diaper first, shouldn't I," Chuck thought out loud. Having successfully changed a few diapers already at the hospital, Chuck knew he could handle this endeavor solo. He had all the necessary supplies within easy reach, so he stripped off the diaper. Sure enough it was soiled. Thinking himself pretty smart, he worked quickly to get the second diaper on when it happened. Luca was peeing on him. What was worse was that Blair had come in having taken the quickest shower of her life to witness the moment.

"Luca, it's not nice to pee on Daddy," Blair cackled with laughter as she nuzzled her nose against her son's cheek, "But it's also very funny."

"Just you wait," Chuck glared at her as he finished his task before he'd let himself get cleaned up, "He'll pee on you."

"I'm just glad that it was you the first time," she chuckled as she stood up straight and kissed her husband's cheek. "I see you figured things out."

"I wouldn't exactly use getting urinated on as an example of figuring things out, but he's not screaming. Progress was made," he conceded as he put Luca in the onesie.

Blair picked him up and cradled him in her arms.

"I'm going to change," Chuck announced.

"Good idea," Blair bit back a snicker that tried to escape, as she danced around with Luca in her arms, trying to lull him to sleep, "We won't be going anywhere."

"I'll be back soon," he vowed as he kissed his family quickly.

"Everything going okay?" Serena inquired as she met Chuck just outside Luca's nursery.

"Just fine," Chuck nodded.

"We heard him crying," Serena stated, "Anything I can do to help."

"I could use a hug," Chuck responded with a solemn expression.

"Is Luca still screaming when you hold him?" Serena stuck out her lip in a sympathetic pout as she stepped forward to hug him, "He'll warm up to you, I promise."

Chuck had a Cheshire grin on his face as Serena suddenly tensed in his arms.

"Chuck, why are you wet?"

"Oh, right, I forgot. Luca just peed on me," he replied.

"Ewwwwww, Chuck, what's the matter with you," Serena shrieked as she slapped his shoulder, "Gross, now I have to change. You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

He began chuckling as he watched his sister storm off. Getting under Serena's skin made getting urinated by his son worth it.

**TBC. . .**


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Blair was tired, exhausted actually. Keeping up with Luca's feeding schedule and trying to find an hour of sleep here and there was driving her near the edge of insanity. Chuck tried to help where he could, and Lily, Eleanor and Serena tried to back him up, but, short of breastfeeding Luca, there was really nothing that they could do.

Blair started sleeping in the nursery so she could be closer to Luca when he needed her.

Chuck came in at regular intervals to check on them.

"Blair, go lay down in our bed," Chuck encouraged her as he gently tapped her shoulder to wake her, "I'll take care of Luca until the next feeding."

"I'm okay," she smiled softly as she stroked his cheek.

"I insist," he held firm.

"A shower actually sounds more appealing," Blair admitted as she ran her fingers through the tangled mess of hair. She couldn't even remember the last time she ran a brush through the mess. "Thank you."

"Go," he encouraged her as he lifted his son out of his crib and cradled him in his arms.

Blair stood in the doorway for a few moments to watch her to men bond. Luca was so much more comfortable with his father than he was a few weeks earlier when he first came home from the hospital, and Chuck was grinning from ear to ear. He seemed to have all the energy in the world, but then again he would be functioning on consecutive hours of sleep.

Not wasting another minute, she slipped into her bathroom and stripped down. The shower felt like heaven. She tried to remember the last time she'd taken the time to wash up. It was a fruitless exercise, as she had no clue what day it had been when she last showered, nor what day it currently was.

Once she was sufficiently clean, she stepped out of the shower to dry herself off. When the fog on the glass cleared, she examined her body in the mirror. She was still carrying quite a bit of her pregnancy weight, but she had a waist once again. Her husband could encircle her with his arms once again if he chose. As she brushed her hair, she allowed herself a few moments to fantasize about the moment that they'd make love for the first time after childbirth. She wondered how it would feel, if it would feel any different, any less satisfying.

Chuck's pill case sat on the counter. It was merely a reflex to check it. Knowing what time of the day it was, the day's pills should be gone. She checked each day's slot. Each slot was filled to the brim. She became curious, so she searched around for a cellphone, knowing that it would tell her which day of the week it was. It was Thursday. She knew he didn't refill his case until Sunday morning just before he took his first dose of the week, so it was odd that the entire case was full.

"That looks suspiciously like Blair Bass," Serena chuckled as Blair bounced into the living area where she and her mother were each reading a book, "You're looking good, Blair, well, clean at least. The bags under your eyes however have increased."

"Thanks for that," Blair glared at her best friend.

"I'm just pointing out the obvious that you're clearly tired."

"Is Chuck okay?" Blair inquired as she tapped his pillbox against her hand, hearing it rattle.

"He's fine," Serena nodded, "He seems a little lonely and wishes he could do more to help you, but other than that, he's fine. Why do you ask?"

"His pillbox is full," Blair explained, "It's Thursday, right?"

"Yes," Lily confirmed.

"He refills his pillbox every Sunday. It shouldn't be full," Blair's heart skipped a beat at the thought that he could be off his medication. In everything she'd read about his illness, being off his medication was a recipe for disaster.

"Maybe he's just filling it each day for something to do," Serena offered, "You should see him pace outside the nursery when there isn't any need for him and he wants to stay out of your way."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Blair nodded, "He seemed fine with Luca when I left them a few minutes ago."

"Did you want something to eat?" Lily inquired, "I'm sure Rosa could whip something up quickly, and we could sit down with you. I'm sure you could use a little adult conversation. Aside from your brief conversations with Charles, you haven't had much of an opportunity."

"I should be getting back to the nursery," Blair replied, "It's nearly time to feed Luca."

"I know this is a difficult right now," Lily gave her a sympathetic smile, "But this does get easier. Luca will start sleeping more and go longer in between feedings."

"I'd be happy with two consecutive hours of sleep," Blair sighed, "I'm so tired."

"I know," Lily replied as she rose from her seat to hug her daughter-in-law, "Tell you what, go feed Luca, and then Serena and I will take care of him until he needs to be fed again. Maybe you and Chuck can take a nap together. He's not sleeping either. He doesn't say it, but I don't think he can sleep without you next to him."

"That sounds wonderful, Lily," Blair gave Lily a grateful smile.

"Have Charles come get us when you're done," Lily replied.

"Thank you," Blair tried to stifle a yawn as she left the room. She thought for a moment of taking the stairs up to the nursery, but she didn't think she had the energy to climb the several flights it would take. She opted instead for the elevator. She always felt a bit silly every time she rode the elevator because she was only climbing two flights of stairs, but at the moment those two flights of stairs were her Mount Everest.

* * *

"You're looking cleaner," Chuck stated as he was bouncing around the room with Luca in his arms, "And you have perfect timing. Luca started sucking on my finger. It's only a matter of time before he puts his lungs through a workout."

"Come here, Luca," Blair smiled as she took her son from her husband's arms.

"He's gaining weight," Chuck stated as he watched Blair settle into the chair to feed him, "You can tell when you hold him. I know you're tired and overwhelmed, but you are doing a phenomenal job."

"Dishing out compliments without solicitation," Blair eyed his skeptically, "What have you done wrong?"

"Why are you assuming I did anything wrong?" he replied, "Can't a husband compliment his wife when she's doing amazing work."

"It's breastfeeding, Chuck," Blair stated, "I haven't been researching a cure for the common cold."

"It's taking care of our son in a way that I never could," he stated, "I wish I could be as useful to our baby as you are."

"Are you jealous of me and my breasts?" Blair fought the urge to smile.

"No," he scoffed, "I just wish that I serviced some useful purpose. Basically the only part that I've played so far in this little man's life is contributing my sperm."

"Don't sell yourself short," she scolded him as she extended her hand to him, "You are far more than a sperm donor. You change him and bathe him."

"Don't patronize me," he rolled his eyes.

"You burp him, you hold him, you talk to him, you kiss him, you tell him you love him," Blair continued on with her list, "The only thing you don't do is feed him. That will change eventually. The important part in all of this is that you're here, and you're trying. That's all that I ask."

"I wish I could do more," he sighed.

"I know," she nodded, "But nature did not bless you with the ability to breast feed a baby, so you have to find a way to come to terms with that."

He nodded as he caressed Luca's head, his fingers sifting through the tuft of hair that remained. He thought that most of it would have fallen out by now as he read usually happened with newborns that were born with hair. Though several strands had fallen out, there was still enough to run his fingers through. He was as enamored with running his fingers through his son's hair as he was his wife's.

"Will you go tell Lily that Luca is almost done," Blair requested as she caressed his forearm gently with her fingers, "She and Serena are going to watch him so that you and I can get a couple of hours of sleep. They seem to think that you're getting just as little sleep as I am."

"Honestly, I don't remember the last time I even tried to lay down," he admitted, "It's pointless as I can't fall asleep without you next to me."

"Then we're both due," she replied.

"I'll be right back," he replied as he bent down to kiss Luca's forehead.

"Do I get a kiss?" she inquired as she held onto his hand as he turned towards the nursery door.

He chuckled as he turned towards her again and laid a gentle kiss on her lips.

Blair's mind began to race, picking apart every detail of their conversation, looking for some sort of clue as to whether he was off his medication and if he was cycling through a manic or depressive episode.

He appeared normal. He appeared in control, but there was one part of their conversation that bugged her. He wasn't sleeping. He wasn't even trying to sleep. She knew from her research that sleeplessness was a symptom of either the manic or depressive episode, but they also had a brand new baby, so perhaps it was a symptom of first time fatherhood. She knew she had to confront him, but she was so tired. She desperately needed some sleep. Perhaps after their nap, there would be some time to really talk.

Lily and Chuck came into the nursery just as Blair was finishing with Luca.

"He still needs to be burped," Blair stated as she handed Luca to his grandmother.

"Don't worry about a thing," Lily replied as Luca nuzzled into Lily's shoulder as Blair caressed the back of his head, "Just get some sleep. I'm going to turn off the baby monitor, so we won't wake you. I promise I will not leave his side."

"I'm not worried," Blair smiled as she grasped Chuck's hand and pulled him out of the nursery, leading him to their bed where she laid him down and then snuggled in against him. She thought it would take longer to fall asleep, but she was sound asleep before her head hit the pillow.

* * *

"Did you sleep?" Blair inquired as she woke a few hours later to the feel of Chuck's fingers caressing her cheek softly.

"Some," he nodded.

"What time is it?" Blair asked as she looked around.

"Lily told me she'd send Serena in when it was time for Luca's feeding," Chuck replied as he pressed on her shoulder when she tried to sit up, "Just relax. Enjoy these few moments of quiet we've been given. They are going to be few and far between."

"It's the maternal instincts," she explained, "It's hard to be away from him, even if it's just a room away."

"I know," he nodded, "But you need to take care of yourself too."

"So do you," she replied as she sighed deeply, knowing that she might as well bring up the issue, "Chuck, when was the last time you filled your medicine container?"

Chuck looked startled by her question as he fumbled for an answer.

"I saw it on the counter. It's a habit that I got into before Luca was born to check it each day to make sure that you'd taken your medication. I checked it. It's completely full and it shouldn't be," she explained, "There should be days missing."

"I…ah…" he fumbled for a response.

"Did you just forget or is this something that your doctor recommended?" she offered him a way out. She prayed that he had some valid explanation. She couldn't bear to hear that he'd purposely taken himself on the medication.

"I guess I forgot," he admitted, "I've been so focused on Luca and you and trying to jump in wherever I can. I've lost track of the days."

"I'm invoking the right you bestowed upon me before we were married. I'm going to nag you until you take your medication," she stated, "Now go. The rest of this discussion can wait."

"I'm sorry," he gave her his best puppy dog expression as he rose of their bed and disappeared into the bathroom. She heard a bit of rustling before he emerged with his pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"I don't need verification," she told him as he made a production of placing the pills on his tongue and then gulping down the glass of water. He then opened his mouth and moved his tongue around to prove to her that he'd swallowed the pills.

"But you also don't trust that I'll take these pills as prescribed. Otherwise you wouldn't be checking up on me," he replied.

"We talked about this. You even said the best way for me to help you is to make sure that you're taking your medication. It wasn't like I count every pill or rifled through your drawers. Your pillbox was on the bathroom counter. It's a reflex for me to check it," she explained calmly.

"But as soon as you saw that it was full you jumped straight to the conclusion that I was purposely off my meds," he hissed.

"That's not true!" she exclaimed, "I was hoping that it was just a simple mistake, which you are saying it was, and I believe you. I know it's a crazy time for us both right now, and I can see how easy it would be to forget. Whether it was a mistake or an accident or intentional, you need to call your therapist."

"I don't need a damn therapist!" he exclaimed, "They are doing me no good. All they care about is padding their bank accounts. They don't give a damn about me."

"That's not true," she replied, "You said Doctor Harland was helping."

"I stopped going," he admitted in a tone barely above a whisper.

"Exactly how long have you not been seeing your therapist?" she asked.

"A little over a month, I guess," he replied, "I just didn't see the point. We've been repeating ourselves in therapy. I no longer felt that I was making any progress."

"So you just quit without even discussing it with me," she replied, "Don't you think that might have been a discussion that I'd want to be a part of. This decision affects me as well."

"You were pregnant and miserable," he stated defensively, "You weren't exactly approachable."

"I don't care," she snapped, "Even if I was in labor at the time you made this radical decision, you still should have discussed this with me."

"You'd try talking me into going back," he sighed.

"You're darn right I would," she responded, "Because you need it. You can't claim that after five months of therapy that you've worked through all of your issues."

"I just can't sit there and talk about every detail of my past," he explained, "How am I supposed to put it all behind me, when it's being brought up every week?"

"The point of bringing all of that up is so that you can learn from it and not make the same mistakes," she replied.

"I'm just tired of apologizing. I'm tired of having to constantly pay for every little thing that I've done wrong," he slumped back in the bed, "I'm just tired, Blair."

"I know," she spoke softly as she caressed his chest, "And I'm not seeking an apology. I forgave you, and all those people that truly care about you have forgiven you as well. Those that haven't, simply do not matter. I just want you to be the healthiest that you can be, physically and mentally. If you can't do it for me, do it for Luca. I know you want to be the best father you can be to him."

"What if I can never be that man that he needs me to be?" Chuck's voice broke as he spoke, "What if I am truly, irreversibly damaged? What if he's better off without me? What if you're better off without me?"

"That could never be true," she tried to reassure him as tears trailed down her cheeks, "You're a good man, Chuck. You have the biggest heart. You've made mistakes. We all have. That doesn't mean that you can't be the father and husband that Luca and I need."

"I can't forgive myself," he admitted, "I can try to forget some of the things that I've done. Half of the things, I'll probably never remember because of how high and drunk I was, but I can't forgive myself for the things I do remember. I've hurt everyone in my life that I care for and love. I'll hurt that innocent little boy. I'll damage him the way that I was damaged."

"Stop," she held her fingers to his lips. She couldn't take the anguish of his words anymore. She couldn't hear the pain in his voice. "Now listen to me. You are not Bart. Those things that happened to you will not happen to our son. History does not have to repeat itself. We're going to make mistakes with him, but that doesn't mean that we are going to inflict the same type of pain that we were put through. We can give that innocent little boy everything that we didn't have."

There was a quiet knock at their bedroom door that interrupted them.

Blair pushed the tears off her face as she answered the knock. It was Lily and Luca.

"I'm sorry," Lily frowned slightly, "I'm sure you two were enjoying the slumber, but I think he's hungry."

"Thank you for watching him, Lily," Blair replied as she lifted Luca into her arms. He wasn't crying, but he didn't look as content as he normally was when his belly was full.

"If you want more sleep, Serena and I can watch him again when you're finished," Lily offered.

"We'll let you know," Blair replied.

"We'll be just downstairs," Lily nodded as she turned away.

Blair crossed the room with Luca in her arms. "Hold him, Chuck," Blair demanded as she lowered their son towards him.

Chuck didn't hesitate as he accepted Luca and held him close to his chest. "I'll do my best, Luca. I promise," Chuck whispered in his son's ear, "I will do everything in my power to make sure that you have the best childhood a little boy could have."

"Will you go back the therapy?" Blair broached the subject again.

"I'll go back to therapy," Chuck nodded as he rubbed small circled into Luca's back, "And I'll start taking my medication on a more consistent basis. I'll do whatever else you need."

"That's all I need," she smiled as she curled herself against him, putting her arm around his neck to pull her two most favorite men close.

"I think Lily's right that he's hungry," Chuck whispered softly, "He's trying to eat my shirt."

"Such a silly little boy," Blair cooed as she reclaimed Luca as she shifted on their bed to get herself comfortable as she prepared to feed him, "Did Daddy's shirt taste good? Should we add silk shirts to your diet, Luca?"

Chuck watched Blair with their son closely. She was such the natural with him. There was no hint of awkwardness or hesitation, and her smile radiated out of every pore of her body. Even with her exhaustion, she was the happiest he'd ever seen her. The sight took his breath away.

**TBC. . .**

**So finally a bit of drama. I hope you all enjoyed. I have a few chapters left, but I'm already planning on returning to my long running series shortly. I hope you all enjoy these final chapters as they come.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"I've come to kidnap you," Serena announced as she bounced into the nursery where Blair and Luca were playing on the floor.

"I've told you a million times, Serena. You can't have my baby. You'll just have to get Nate drunk enough to knock you up so you can have your own," Blair replied as she skillfully scooped Luca up and brought him against her chest, seemingly in the same motion. There was an overprotectiveness in her actions that was not lost on Serena.

"I'm not kidnapping Luca, Silly, though the thought is tempting. I'm kidnapping you," the bubbly blonde explained, "It's been all about Luca since the moment he came home. You deserve a little time for yourself. I'm here to see to that."

"I'm not letting you babysit," Blair replied, "You put his diaper on backwards the last time we let you take control of diaper duty and then made Chuck deal with the mess that was made in Luca's crib."

"How was I supposed to know which way the diaper went? It looks the same both ways," Serena defended herself.

"I can't leave Luca," Blair insisted as her grip on Luca tightened ever so slightly, "I'm breastfeeding every couple of hours."

"I'm not talking about one of our all day marathon shopping excursions," Serena replied, "I'm talking mani-pedis at Bergdorfs. We'll be gone two hours at most. I think Chuck can handle things for a couple of hours, and if he can't, I've brought backup. Cyrus, Roman, Harold, and Nate are all here for their first guys' afternoon. Eric wanted to be here, but he's tied up with school this weekend. I cannot tell you how upset he is to miss his nephew's first guys' day."

"Well, he's not going to miss anything because there is no way I'm going to allow this guys' day to happen," Blair replied, "Nate nearly dropped Luca the first and only time he held him, and as much as I love all my fathers, they haven't been around babies for years."

"I'm not taking no for an answer," Serena insisted. "You can either come along voluntarily or kicking and screaming. It's your choice."

Blair stormed out of the nursery with the intention of finding Chuck, who she was absolutely certain would back her up. As she'd pointed out to him on numerous occasions, he was legally obligated to be on her side since they'd tied the knot. She nearly ran into him at the nursery door as he was standing right outside, clearly waiting for her. "Chuck, set Serena straight. You need me here, don't you?"

"Of course I need you here," Chuck replied as he lifted her free hand to observe the sorry condition her fingernails were in because her sole focus had been on Luca, "But for two hours, I can handle things. You deserve a bit of pampering. Those fingers and toes are screaming for some attention."

"This was your idea," she realized, "How could you?"

"Blair, it's been three days since you took a shower. You're sleeping in the nursery. I have to force you to eat," Chuck stated calmly as he lightly kissed the pad of each finger, "To take care of Luca, long term, you need to take care of yourself."

"Luca needs me," Blair insisted as she felt tears starting to well in her eyes.

"Yes, he does," Chuck nodded as his voice became gentle as he recognized the shift in her emotions. She wasn't angry; she was panicked. Her place in her son's life was being questioned, and she couldn't bear it. "He needs you more than he needs anyone else. A few hours of pampering is not going to change that. No one is even attempting to take your place."

"I need to be here," Blair whispered as a few tears tumbled down her cheeks.

Chuck gently pried Luca from Blair's arms and handed him to Serena. "Would you take him down to the study? Harold is most anxious to spend some quality time with his grandson."

"Okay," Serena nodded as she scurried away before Blair could follow.

"Blair, look at me," Chuck stated as her eyes followed Serena with a pained expression.

Blair refused to give in to his request. She was furious that he'd taken her son away.

"Look at me," he requested again as he touched her chin gently, gently coaxing her gaze toward him.

When her eyes locked with his, her anger came out. She tried to slap him, but he had anticipated her motion and caught her hand before she made contact. She tried to struggle free, but he held his grip tight.

"You cannot sustain the pace that you've set for yourself," Chuck stated calmly.

"I'm his mother," Blair hissed.

"And I'm his father," Chuck replied, "I am capable of taking care of him for a few hours. Getting out of the manor will be good for you."

"Chuck, please," her eyes were pleading with him.

"Two hours," he held firm, "It's just two hours, but how about a shower first?"

"I need to feed him before I leave," she insisted as she allowed him to turn her towards their bedroom.

"Of course," Chuck conceded, "I want his tummy full because we know that a full tummy makes for a very happy Luca."

In their bathroom, Blair stood still as Chuck undressed her. "Are you planning on joining me?" she inquired as he opened the shower door and nudged her inside.

"Is that an invitation?" he smirked.

"I might be persuaded," she baited him with her most tempting smile.

Chuck couldn't get undressed fast enough. He'd been starved for her affections. They hadn't even kissed in days. She was so focused on Luca that nothing and nobody else mattered. As Chuck stepped in, he found himself pressed up against the shower wall, her body pressed against his, rubbing against him. As starved as he was, he recognized that she had ulterior motives as she sucked on his Adam's apple.

"Chuck, if you let me stay home, I'll do that thing that you like," she whispered into his ear.

Chuck purposely banged his head against the stonewall in a successful attempt to keep his head clear.

"If you get a mani-pedi, I'll do that thing that you like," he countered.

"I could care less about that," she snarled as she shoved him roughly against the shower wall as she pushed off him, "I'm a mother for crying out loud. We don't allow men to do things like that to us."

"You're also a wife," Chuck reminded her, "My wife."

"No, we can't do any of that yet," she hissed, "I haven't been cleared by the doctors for any of those activities."

"I'm not suggesting those activities," Chuck stated calmly, "But we should take a little time each day to reconnect. It is so easy to just get ourselves lost in being Luca's parents, but as important as the parent-child relationship is, we should not be neglecting the husband-wife relationship."

"I hate you," she hissed.

"I'm sure you do," he nodded as he felt the stabbing pain in his heart as her words sunk in, "But I'm trying to do what is best for you, and even though you don't see it, I'm also trying to do what is best for Luca."

"Get out," she demanded.

"I love you, Blair," Chuck replied as he chanced a quick nip at the nape of her neck before he exited the shower and dried himself off. He tried not to let her expression of hatred seep in. She was just angry and exhausted. He knew she couldn't mean the words she spoke.

* * *

"We should do this more often," Eleanor stated as she looked down the line of chairs in the salon to see Serena, Lily, and Blair sitting next to her as they had their pedicures. They were being given the VIP treatment due to Chuck calling ahead to make the arrangements. Tea had been served with scrumptious cookies, and everyone was bending over backwards to accommodate the quartet. Blair seemed unappreciative of any of it. She was still stewing.

"Yes, we should," Lily agreed as she reached for Blair's hand to get her attention. She'd said very little since she'd been forced from her home in tears, "Shouldn't we, Blair?" She received only a shrug in response.

"Sweetheart, we know leaving your little boy was difficult for you, but you should at least try to enjoy the pampering," Eleanor insisted.

"Little boy," Blair's manicurist chimed up, "How little?"

"He's five and a half weeks," Blair snapped.

"I have a little boy myself, he's fifteen weeks. It kills me to put him in daycare everyday, but I have to pay for his diapers somehow," the manicurist stated as she showed Blair a picture.

"He's very handsome," Blair stated as she took a quick peek and then returned the picture. "But I shouldn't have left my little boy at home all alone."

"He's not alone," Serena sighed dramatically, "He has his father, his three grandfathers, and Nate. Not to mention that your housekeeper will be hovering the entire time we're gone."

"Is this your first time away from him?" the manicurist asked Blair, who nodded in confirmation, "It was hard for me too the first time. My mama said that I should take a walk to recharge my batteries, and she was right. I was so exhausted from taking care of his every need that I'd forgotten that I had my own. I was even peeing according to his schedule, which is just crazy."

"That doesn't sound crazy," Blair replied, "That sounds to me like you're putting your son's needs ahead of your own. That is what a good parent does."

"I realized I couldn't be a good parent to my little boy if I was dead," the manicurist stated, "You're lucky that your baby's daddy is still in the picture. Mine bolted the moment I told him I was pregnant. I wish I had the family and friends that you have to help out. All I have is my mama, but we're doing just fine."

"Don't you miss your little boy terribly?" Blair asked.

"Of course," the manicurist nodded, "But I'm realizing that the time away from him makes the moments that I'm with him much more precious."

Blair sat in her chair as the conversation with the manicurist took a few minutes to sink in. Eleanor, Lily and Serena trading knowing looks.

"You're all finished," the manicurists told the quartet several moments later.

Eleanor slipped Blair's manicurist a large tip and a curious wink that Blair missed as she gathered up her belongings and slipped her feet carefully into the sandals she'd worn for the occasion.

"We finished sooner than expected," Eleanor realized as she looked at her watch. "How about something sinfully chocolaty before we return to the manor?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Blair agreed as she linked arms with her mother as the first smile of the day that was non-Luca related appeared, "I have been having this craving. I thought those went away after giving birth."

"Chocolate cravings never go away, Sweetheart," her mother stated.

Lily and Serena linked their arms together as they followed Blair and Eleanor, trading triumphant smiles as they went.

* * *

"That was quick," Nate stated as he greeted Serena in the foyer when the quartet returning.

"We've been gone exactly two hours," Serena pointed to her watch as she kissed his cheek.

"I recognize three of the smiles from those that left with them, but I don't think we've met. Nate Archibald," he stated as he jovially introduced himself to Blair, "And you're Blair Bass, right?"

"Ha ha," Blair rolled her eyes, "How come it's so quiet?"

"Luca's taking a nap in his Grandpa Cyrus's lap. I was sent away because apparently I can't watch the basketball game without loudly cheering the Knicks on, and some people thought that I might wake Luca up," he explained, "They're all in the media room if you want to check on them."

"Yes, I want to check on them," Blair replied as she darted out of the room.

The scene she was greeted with warmed her heart. Cyrus, Chuck, and Luca were all napping. Harold and Roman had switched the channel to a French film and were snuggled up together on the sofa. Harold was about to reach out to wake Chuck, when Blair motioned him to stop. Instead she crept towards him quietly and kissed his lips.

Chuck awoke with a start. Above him was his radiant wife, giving him an equally radiant smile.

"Thank you, Chuck," she whispered before she kissed his lips again, "You were right. I did need a little time away."

"Let's see those toes," he smiled as he reached for her calf, pulling her leg up so that he could inspect the salon's handwork.

"Come," Blair stated as she grabbed his collar, "Let's let Daddy and Roman enjoy this movie in peace. It's one of their favorites."

"What happened to the basketball game?" Chuck looked towards his in-laws in confusion. They both shrugged as Blair pulled him out of the room and towards his study. Inside with the door closed, Chuck found himself pressed against it with Blair pressed against him.

"This feels familiar," Chuck eyed her curiously, "I think I was in this position early in far fewer clothes. I was rudely kicked out."

"Yes, you were," Blair nodded, "And I'm sorry. I'm obsessing about this motherhood thing in a way that I've just realized is unhealthy."

"Your apology isn't necessary," he assured her, "I just want to make sure that you take care of yourself. Yes, you are of great importance when it comes to caring for Luca, but don't forget about me. I am just as willing to help you. I may not be able to feed him, but I can burp him and change him and rock him to sleep and bathe him. I think you forgot that there are other people that love that little boy as much as you do."

"Yes, I did," she nodded, "It's just so important to me to be a good mother. I guess I forget that it's equally important to you to be a good father."

"Let me help you, Blair," he stated, "Let me take part in my son's life."

"Yes," she nodded quickly, "Of course I want you to be a part of his life."

"So from here on out, we do this as a team," he replied, "I get the diapers and baths, and you get the feeding and burping. We'll take turns with rocking him to sleep."

"Fair enough," she smiled.

"But this arrangement is flexible," he added, "Because his needs will change as he grows."

"Okay," she nodded as they heard Luca cry out. It was his hungry cry. It was feeding time, and he knew it.

"I'll bring him up to the nursery. Go get yourself comfortable," he encouraged her. Blair nodded as she kissed his lips one more time, lingering against him as she inhaled his unique scent.

"After we finish, maybe we can let our family fight over who gets to watch him for a little while so you and I can properly reconnect," she suggested, "I was rather rude with you earlier. I'd like to make it up to you."

"There is nothing for you to make up to me, but I'm not going to turn down a chance to spend a few minutes alone with you," he replied.

**TBC. . .**

**I want to give a gigantic shout out to Lori2279 for her beta work.**

**I want to give a second shout out to those that are reviewing, though I've noticed something that has me a little puzzled. Usually with each chapter, I get a few anonymous reviews, which is totally cool. Not everyone wants their name out there, but in the past few chapters I haven't had any. Is everyone just signing in to review or is there some sort of issue? If someone could give me a heads up, I'd appreciate it, especially if it's something on my end that I need to fix. I want to give everyone who wants to give me their opinion a chance to be heard.**


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Is that a smile, Luca?" Blair cooed as she hovered over her son as she was putting him into clean clothes, "Are you smiling for Mommy?"

"It's probably just gas," Serena chimed in as she stood a few yards away.

"Bite your tongue, Serena," Blair replied as she tickled her son under the chin, "Make yourself useful, get the camera. We want to capture this moment for Daddy, don't we, Luca?"

"Capture what moment for Daddy?" Chuck inquired as he strolled into the nursery having just returned from his weekly therapy session.

"Look, Daddy, someone is smiling," Blair stated as she lifted Luca into her arms to transfer him to Chuck.

"Is this a smile, Luca?" Chuck inquired as he tickled under Luca's chin as a smile of his own graced his face, "Or is this gas?"

"It's not gas," Blair insisted, "It's a smile. Now take the picture already, Serena. We don't know how long this is going to last."

"Luca or Chuck's smile?" Serena inquired as she pointed the camera towards Chuck and Luca.

"Nothing will erase my smile as long as this little man is smiling with me," Chuck cooed as he bounced Luca up and down.

"This is the cutest picture of Luca yet," Serena proclaimed as she took a look at her results, "I can't say much for the old man holding him, but Luca is downright adorable."

"Keep talking, Serena," Chuck laughed, "You're older than I am. If I'm an old man, you're an old maid."

"Hey!" Serena squealed her displeasure.

"Play nice you two, or neither of you can come along on Luca's first walk through Central Park," Blair stepped in to defuse the situation.

"Chuck started it," Serena whined like a little child.

"Did not," Chuck responded, sticking out his tongue as a five year old would.

"This is why I'm glad that Aaron and I aren't close," Blair laughed, "I don't have to deal with these petty stepsibling arguments."

"But you're missing so much," Serena replied, "It's actually more fun to argue with Chuck than it is Eric. I'm not afraid of sticking my foot in my mouth and offending Chuck. Eric is a little more sensitive."

"And because I'm consider the source of the insult, it rolls right off my back," Chuck chimed in.

"That sounds like something I should be offended by," Serena scowled at him.

Chuck merely rolled his eyes as he began babbling with Luca.

"How was Luca's checkup today?" Chuck inquired. He hated that he had to miss his son's visit with the pediatrician because of his therapy session, but Blair literally twisted his arm and made him go to his session.

"He's doing great," Blair replied, "He's already in the top five percent of development for babies at his age."

"And he's a little chunker," Serena chimed in as she grasped Luca's foot, "He's gained six pounds since he was born."

"He is not a chunker," Blair stated as she knocked Serena's hand away, "He's just well feed. I'm taking pride in that fact."

"You should," Chuck replied as he bent over to kiss her lips, "You're doing excellent work."

"Ugh, let's start this walk before you two begin making out," Serena groaned as she watched the two make eyes at each other.

Blair and Chuck worked together to get Luca ready for his first grand adventure in the outdoors as Serena made herself useful by helping Arthur get the stroller down the front steps of their home.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Blair inquired as she laid Luca into his stroller and buckled him in, "It feels a little too chilly."

"Blair, it's forty degrees outside, and he's wrapped up in so many clothes he probably won't even feel the fresh air," Serena replied, "He looks like a mummy."

"But he'll be inhaling this air. What if it freezes his fragile little lungs?" Blair thought out loud.

"I don't think freezing his lungs is a possibility. Blair, I repeat, it's forty degrees outside," Serena repeated herself, "Those maternal instincts of yours are on over drive right now. If we can breathe the air, so can he."

"What do you know about being a mother?" Blair snapped at her.

"Come on, Blair," Chuck put his hand to her back as he guided her to move forward. "If there seems to be a problem, we'll turn back."

Serena pushed the stroller as she walked along. Chuck took Blair's hand and encouraged her forward towards the park only a block away.

"It does feel good to stretch my legs," Blair admitted as they walked along, "It feels like we've been cooped up in the house for months."

"Because we have," Chuck reminded her, "There were very few trips made outside of the manor once you hit your third trimester."

"That already feels like such a long time ago," Blair sighed, "I'll admit the last few months were uncomfortable, but I enjoyed being pregnant."

Serena began muttering something about a whistle that Blair couldn't quite comprehend.

"Maybe when Luca starts walking and talking, we should consider giving him a sibling," Blair thought out loud.

"Ready for another go at pregnancy already," Chuck replied, "I figured you won't let me within ten feet of you until Luca starts pre-school."

"I'd never last that long," Blair stated, "That we've lasted this long is a miracle."

"Agreed," Chuck sighed.

"Someone sounds neglected," Blair teased as she kissed his cheek.

"You have no idea," Chuck stated as he wrapped her in his arms swiftly, bent her backwards and kissed her lips just as she let out a shriek of surprise.

"Hey, none of that around the baby," Serena slapped Chuck's shoulder to get his attention, "We don't want a Chuck Bass clone here."

Chuck waved Serena away as he attempted to keep his focus on his wife. Unfortunately, Luca chimed in with a shriek of his own that pulled Blair's focus away from her husband and towards their son.

"Daddy's being silly, isn't he?" Blair cooed as she bent over the stroller as tickled under Luca's chin, drawing out a smile.

"When are you going to tell Chuck the good news?" Serena whispered as she poked her best friend in the ribs.

"Good news, what good news?" Chuck inquired, having heard Serena's not so soft whisper.

"Subtle," Blair glared at her friend.

"Good news," Chuck tapped his wife's shoulder with his gloved hand to get her attention.

"It's nothing," Blair waved him off, "Nothing that needs to intrude on Luca's first walk through the park."

"Good news," Chuck repeated, "I like good news."

"And you'll love this good news," Serena chimed in.

"You're not helping," Blair turned to glare at her again.

"Good news," Chuck prompted her yet again, his patience beginning to wear thin.

"After Luca's appointment with the pediatrician, I had an appointment with my doctor," Blair bit her lip nervously.

"And," Chuck urged her on, "Are you okay? Is there something wrong?"

"No," Blair reassured him as her hand came to a rest against his chest, "I'm completely healthy, more than healthy actually…back to normal healthy."

"Back to normal healthy," he repeated, "As in we can…"

"Have sex," Serena filled in the blank that he suddenly stumbled over the words, "Yep, all systems are a go."

"Is she serious?" Chuck inquired as his hand covered Blair's that rested against his chest.

"Yes," Blair nodded, "I was going to make the announcement a little more romantic after Luca went to sleep this evening, but yes."

"This is wonderful news," he proclaimed, "Now all we have to do is convince Luca to sleep long enough for us to quench our lust."

"I don't think that's on the menu," Blair laughed, "He still requires regular feedings, and your lust will last for days. We may not get the full seven course dinner, but I think we can get through a few courses."

"I'll take what I can get," he chuckled.

"Are we making a u-turn?" Serena inquired, "I can watch Luca until his next feeding."

"A tempting offer," Chuck replied, "But this is Luca's first walk. Blair and I have waited this long, we can wait a little longer."

"Not much," Blair sighed as she took his gloved hand and did her best to entwine their fingers.

"Patience, my beautiful wife," he laughed.

"Patience, my ass," she scoffed.

"Shhh," he held a finger to her lips, "That is most definitely higher than our agreed upon PG rating around Luca. Don't make me wash your mouth out with soap."

"I don't know if pissing Blair off when you're that close to having sex after months of going without is a wise idea," Serena cautioned him.

"Those are wise words," Chuck smiled.

"I get lucky on occasion," Serena shrugged.

"Not as lucky as I'll be getting tonight," Chuck smirked.

"If you play your cards right," Blair smiled.

* * *

"You're getting to be so big," Chuck cooed as he danced around with his son in his arms.

Luca was uncharacteristically fussy that evening. It was as if his son knew how anxious he was for what the evening was going to bring and was toying with him.

"He still won't go to sleep," Blair sighed as she came into the nursery wrapped up tight in a silk robe.

"Wide awake," Chuck replied as he turned Luca towards her so that she could see his wide eyes.

"It's almost like he's doing this on purpose," she smiled as she waved to her little boy from the doorway.

"He's just excited, like us," Chuck replied, "He's picked up on the vibe you and I are putting out. He'll wear out eventually, just hopefully not before we do."

"Call me the Energizer Bunny," Blair spoke seductively as she pranced towards her two favorite men.

"I'll be calling you more than that very soon," he chuckled as Luca extended a hand towards his mother.

Blair grabbed Luca's hand and nibbled on it lightly, drawing out a smile and a squeal of excitement from the little boy.

"Maybe I should try feeding him," Blair offered, "Maybe with a full belly he'll fall asleep."

"You fed him less than an hour ago," Chuck reminded her, "We just have to wait the little tiger out."

"The last time you said that was just before I went into labor," Blair recalled.

"As you'll recall it was also the last time we tried to make love," he chuckled.

"You broke my water," she slapped his shoulder lightly.

"I believe you were begging me to," he smirked, "Were you serious about wanting another child already?"

"Well maybe not right away, as in nine months from this moment, but somewhere down the road, in the near future," she rambled on, "I guess I want to give Luca something that you and I never had."

"A sibling," Chuck guessed.

"It was something that I always wanted," Blair nodded, "And Luca deserves to have someone that he can torment. Don't you, Luca? You want a little brother or sister to play with, don't you?"

Chuck could only laugh as Blair began to rain kisses along Luca's face.

"Do you want another baby, Chuck?" Blair inquired.

"If you'd asked me that a year ago, I would have said I'm not ready for one, let alone two, but life threw me this enormous curveball," Chuck began, "I never expected to feel this much love for a person that wasn't you. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I think I love him more than I love you."

"That's the way it's supposed to be," Blair assured him as she hugged his shoulder, "I'd probably be more upset if you didn't feel the way you do. He's our son, Chuck. He's a part of both of us. Everything that I love in him is an extension of you and everything that you love in him is an extension of me."

"He's more you than me," Chuck replied as Luca's head came to rest against his chest, his eyes finally getting heavy, "Which makes me love him that much more."

"Is there enough love in that gigantic heart of yours for another child?" Blair inquired as she caressed Luca's head softly as his eyes drifted closed.

"There is enough room in my heart for as many children as you want to have," he assured her, "And whenever you want to start having them works just fine for me, whether it's tonight or six months from now or six years from now."

"Maybe we don't start working on a new addition tonight, but I think we should still make sure that all of our equipment is in proper working order," her grin turned sinister as she pulled at the knot of her robe to reveal the purple satin baby doll slip with black lace trim that she was wearing.

Chuck's throat went dry as he eyed her up and down as her robe dropped to the floor.

Though he needed no further encouragement, she did a slow turn so he could appreciate the slip from all angles.

"You'd better put that robe back on," Chuck replied as his eyes glanced towards the floor.

"Why? Am I that hideous to look at?" she asked, nearly in tears as she bent over to retrieve her robe.

"You cannot seriously believe that I could ever think you look hideous," he responded as he shifted Luca in his arms so he could lay him in his crib, "Blair, you look beautiful."

"You've never told me to put my robe back on before," she pointed out, "What am I supposed to think when you start telling me to now?"

"That there is an infant in the room, and we're trying to keep the ratings PG around him. My current thoughts go well beyond that rating," Chuck replied as he laid Luca in the crib, taking a few extra moments to make sure he was asleep before he turned his attentions to his wife who still had tears trailing down her cheeks. "Blair, I love you, everything about you."

"I'm still carrying some pregnancy weight," she pointed out as she put on the robe as a way to cover herself.

"And you're as beautiful to me now as you've ever been," he assured her as he gathered her in his arms, "Blair, you gave me the greatest gift in the world when you gave birth to our son. The few extra pounds that you may be carrying as a result are nothing to be ashamed of or hide from me."

"It was easy to overlook the extra weight when I was pregnant," Blair admitted, "But now when I look at myself in the mirror, I have this urge to…"

"Don't even think it," Chuck cut her off with a finger to his lips, "You haven't been making yourself sick on purpose, have you?"

"No," she shook her head quickly, "I swear I haven't. I've thought about it, but I haven't gone through with it."

"Would you tell me if you had?" he pressed.

"I think so," she nodded slowly.

"Please tell me," he demanded, his voice was pleading with her, "I can't help you if you don't tell me. I promise not to be mad or disappointed. I only want to help you. You and I are partners, until death do us part, remember."

"In sickness and in health," she nodded as another tear trailed down her cheek.

"You're beautiful, Blair," he knew he needed to work into the conversation again, "Pregnant, not pregnant, carrying extra weight or not, you will always be beautiful to me. I never want you to doubt that…ever."

"I'll try," she gave him a tiny smile as he pulled at the ties at her waist and pushed the satin off her shoulders.

"Is he out?" Chuck motioned towards their son.

"For a little while at least," Blair nodded as she reached over to turn the baby monitor on so they could hear it in their bedroom.

"This probably won't take all that long anyways," he stated as he picked her up in his arms. Blair worked hard to suppress the yelp of surprise that she felt coming as he carried her into their bedroom and deposited her on their bed.

"I love you, Chuck," Blair smiled as she caressed his face as he worked quickly to remove all his clothing.

"I love you," Chuck replied as he made love to her.

**TBC. . .**

**Yet another big thank you to my beta Lori2279 and to my reviewers. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Blair's hands began to shake as she sat in her old bathroom at her mother's penthouse. Downstairs she could hear the jovial sounds of their family meal. She was startled by the knock at the bathroom door.

"Ms. Blair, are you okay?" Dorota, her one time maid and still loyal confidante, was checking on her.

"I'll be out in a moment, Dorota," Blair called out, trying to make her voice sound as normal and even as she could.

"Mister Chuck worry," Dorota explained through the closed door, "He send me up."

"I'm fine, Dorota," she insisted, "Tell Mister Chuck that I'll be down when I'm good and ready to come down."

Finally there was silence. She took a deep breath to gather her thoughts as she tossed her trash into the garbage. She knew her secret wouldn't stay a secret for too long. Her maid was by nature extremely curious, but she tossed a few tissues in as cover anyways. Perhaps she would get lucky.

With another deep breath to calm the anxiousness that had settled into the pit of her stomach, she emerged from the bathroom. A smile grasped her lips when she thought back to a time when her husband had once confessed to an unsettled feeling in his stomach. She touched the broach he'd given her for Valentine's Day, the day she'd gone into labor. Her smile stayed in place as she made her way down the staircase to join her family.

Nate and Serena had made the big announcement they were moving in together at the dinner party Blair's mother was hosting before she and Cyrus left for Paris for a few weeks. Everyone in the room was focused on the blonde duo, peppering them with questions, everyone except Chuck.

"You alright?" Chuck inquired as his arm wrapped around her waist as she came to stand next to him. His concern for her was pouring out of his eyes.

"I'm fine," she nodded as she gave him a confident smile as she watched their son cuddle with his grandmother, Eleanor. Despite her distain for the title, Blair's mother accepted the role without hesitation. The rare evening that Blair and Chuck went out for a night on the town, it was Eleanor that became their first and usually only call to babysit. She, more than anyone, had taken to the challenge of spoiling their son.

"Are you sure?" he pressed, "You were upstairs for awhile."

"It's just a little intestinal challenge," she covered, "It's nothing to worry about. I promise, I'm fine."

"You'd tell me if you weren't, wouldn't you?" he inquired as he pressed his forehead to hers for a moment, savoring the feel of her as she melted against him.

"Of course," she nodded, "You're my husband. We have no secrets."

"I never tire of hearing that," he smiled as he bent in and kissed her cheek.

"I never tire of saying it," she replied as she caressed his cheek.

"B, you need to give me the name of your interior decorator," Serena stated as she linked arms with Blair and pulled her away from Chuck despite the audible growl Chuck tossed in her direction, "I need to completely redecorate my apartment. According to Nate, it's too girly for him, and I love what your decorator did with your home."

"I'll text you the information," Blair replied.

"This is so exciting," Serena squealed with happiness.

"S, you and Nate have cohabitated before," Blair felt the need to point out.

"But this is official," Serena explained, "He's moving all of his belongings into my apartment and giving up his residence."

"To be fair, he's giving up his residence because Chuck sold The Empire, and he can no longer stay in the penthouse rent free," Blair felt the need to point out.

"Are you trying to kill my buzz?" Serena pouted, "This is a big step for us. This time next year we might be engaged or maybe even married. Maybe I'll even be pregnant with a playmate for Luca."

Chuck watched his best friend's face turn a little green as the panic set in. Cohabitating was clearly all that Nate was comfortable with at the moment. Marriage and fatherhood were a ways off, if Nate had his say.

"Why don't you two figure out how to blend your differing tastes into your apartment first," Blair suggested.

"Aren't you happy for us, B?" Serena pouted slightly.

"Of course I'm happy for you," Blair insisted, "You two are finally figuring out what it means to have an adult relationship."

"You don't seem all that happy," Serena observed, "You're not rehashing all that stuff that happened in high school, are you?"

"No," Blair shook her head, "High school and all those people are…I promise that is the furthest thing from my mind."

"Promise?"

"I swear on my mother's life," Blair vowed.

"That means a lot more than it used to," Eleanor chimed in as she passed Luca back to her daughter, "I think someone has a stinky diaper."

"I'll change him," Chuck offered.

"No, that's okay," Blair replied as she patted his chest lightly, "I'll do it. You can have the next one."

"Fighting over dirty diapers, never thought I'd live to see that," Nate quipped as he patted his best friend's back.

"I'll help you," Serena replied as she followed Blair back up the stairs to her old bedroom where Luca's changing table was set up.

With the door closed, Serena went on the attack.

"What's wrong with you?" Serena pounced, "Did you and Chuck have a fight before you got here?"

"No," Blair shook her head as she expertly began changing Luca's diaper, "Chuck and I are just fine."

"You've been acting odd all day," Serena stated, "If it's not Chuck and it's not me you're mad at, what else could it be? Rufus didn't say anything to you about Da…"

"I'm pregnant," Blair interrupted her.

"What!" Serena exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down," Blair hissed, "Chuck doesn't know."

"How pregnant are you?" Serena inquired.

"I'm not really sure," Blair admitted, "I've been all messed up since Luca was born. I haven't been feeling well for a few weeks. At first I thought I was just tired. Luca's going through his regression phase where he only wants to sleep for a couple of hours at a time. Then I started getting nauseous and throwing up. There was a pregnancy test left in the bathroom here, so I took it. It was positive."

"You just took it?" Serena inquired.

"A few minutes ago," Blair nodded.

"And you're sure you did it right?" Serena prodded her.

"I have done it before," Blair reminded her, "Same results the second time."

"You're still breastfeeding, aren't you?" Serena inquired, "I thought you couldn't get pregnant when you're breastfeeding."

"It's not unheard of," Blair replied, "The doctor did warn us about that possibility, and we weren't exactly as careful as maybe we should have been."

"Have you talked about more children with Chuck?" Serena asked.

"Some," Blair nodded, "We never really came to a definite answer as to when, but having another child is definitely in our future. I just thought it would be a little further down the road. Luca's not even six months old yet."

"You should know better than anyone that unplanned pregnancies can happen," Serena pointed out, "And sometimes, like in Luca's case, it's for the best."

"I guess I was hoping to plan the next one," Blair replied as she kissed her son's socked foot as he sat on the table and chewed on the toy that Blair had given him to keep him from squirming on the changing table. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes, the glint of his father. Blair's heart melted at the sight. She fell more in love with this little boy each day.

"Tell that to Chuck's overzealous sperm," Serena stated.

"How am I going to tell him?" Blair thought out loud as she finished up the task at hand as she handed the dirty diaper to Serena to dispose of.

"How did you tell him last time?" Serena asked as she tried to fold up the diaper to dispose of it. She'd watched Blair do it countless times, but she'd never gotten the hang of it herself. This time was no different, yet she stuffed the diaper in the pail anyway and hoped her best friend wouldn't notice.

"I just blurted it out. We were on the island talking about when we should get married, and it just came out," Blair explained as she secured the diaper and began redressing her stylish little boy.

"So take him back to the island and blurt it out again," Serena offered as she used a baby wipe to sterilize her fingers just in case some of the poopy got on them. Nate would never let her hear the end of that, especially since she'd started hinted at getting married and having kids of their own, and she didn't want to give him another excuse to add to the list, "Nate and I can come with you. We can be Luca's babysitters."

"Chuck and I have been talking about a getaway for our upcoming anniversary," Blair replied, "That could be a good time to tell him."

"And Nate and I can come with you," Serena repeated. She desperately wanted to see the island that Chuck had given to Blair as an engagement gift. "Of course you'll want to have some time to yourself while you're there."

"I'll mention it to Chuck," Blair replied as she lifted Luca into her arms and held him tight. Luca began giggling as he pulled at Blair's blouse.

"Looks like someone is hungry," Serena observed, "I'll give you some privacy and run interference downstairs."

"Thanks," Blair smiled, "Tell Chuck I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Where's Blair?" Chuck inquired as Serena came down the stairs solo.

"Luca was hungry," Serena explained.

"Is she okay?" Chuck asked as he looked towards the staircase, "She's hasn't been feeling well. Maybe I should go up to check on her."

"She was just fine when I left her," Serena reassured him, "She doesn't need you hovering every time she whips out her breast to feed your son."

"She may not need me to hover, but I so enjoy the sight," he teased her.

"Only you would consider breastfeeding some weird sort of foreplay," Serena rolled her eyes.

"You said that, not me," Chuck replied as Nate joined them, putting his arm around his girlfriend's waist.

"Everything okay over here?" Nate inquired.

"Just a little sibling banter," Chuck nodded.

"Where's my godson?" Nate asked.

"Upstairs," Serena pointed up the staircase.

"Chuck, you should plan a night out on the town with Blair, so Serena and I can babysit," Nate replied, "We don't get nearly enough quality time with our godson."

"Tempting," Chuck snorted in amusement. His best friend still hadn't gotten the hang of changing a diaper, and he added breast milk to his coffee when he and Serena stopped over one morning just before she and Blair set out on one of their shopping sprees. Blair had been irate because she had to delay their shopping so she could pump more milk for Luca.

"Come on, Chuck," Nate pleaded with him, "I've learned my lesson. I can't even put milk in my coffee anymore."

"Breast milk ruined all other milk for you, huh," Chuck guessed, "It does have a surprisingly pleasant taste. Certainly sweeter than I expected."

"Ew, Chuck, come on," Serena shrieked, "There are some things that are okay to be kept between you and Blair."

"What's she shrieking about now?" Blair inquired as she came bouncing down the stairs with Luca curled up against her shoulder, sound asleep.

"Serena said you were feeding Luca," Chuck stated as he kissed her cheek, "That was the quickest feeding ever."

"He wasn't hungry," Blair explained, "He was mostly tired. He was asleep before his lips touched my breast."

"Silly little boy. That's not what a Bass does around breasts," Chuck replied as he caressed Luca's back gently.

"It's getting late, Chuck. We should probably get him home," Blair replied.

"Good idea," he nodded, "I'll go up and get our belongings from your bedroom. You'd better allow the grandparents to say proper goodbyes."

* * *

Blair was woken from a dead sleep. She looked around her darkened bedroom. The room was silent, too silent. She tried to figure out what had woken her. She glanced towards her nightstand to check the time, but couldn't see the usual blue glow.

"Chuck," Blair whispered as she nudged at his shoulder, "I think the power is out."

Chuck muttered something unintelligible as he fell back to sleep. Thunderstorms had always seemed to lull him into a deeper sleep.

A rumble of thunder shook her to her core. She was on her feet in an instant and running towards Luca's bedroom at top speed.

Luca was wailing with fright as Blair burst into his room and lifted him into her arms.

"It's okay, Luca, Mommy's here," Blair rubbed his back softly, "You're safe. I'll never let anything bad happen to you."

A flash of lightening appeared to strike just outside Luca's bedroom window. Blair jumped from fright as a rumble of thunder immediately followed it. Luca's cries that had just begun to quiet rose in volume.

"Let's go back to Mommy and Daddy's room," Blair stated, "Daddy can protect us."

As Blair returned to the bedroom, Luca's cries pulled Chuck from his slumber just as another clap of thunder seemed to shake the entire house.

"What time is it?" Chuck sat up suddenly, trying to get his bearings after being pulled out of his deep sleep so abruptly.

"The power is out," Blair replied, "I have no idea."

Chuck reached for his phone on the nightstand to check the time. It was nearly four in the morning. Until the storm blew through, Luca had slept for nearly five hours straight, a personal best for him.

"It's a pretty nasty storm," Chuck replied as he called up the weather map on his phone.

"Should we go to a lower floor?" Blair inquired as she rocked Luca back and forth as he began to settle down.

"I think we're okay here," Chuck shook his head as he patted the bed next to him, the glow from his cell phone illuminating his movements.

Blair climbed in as Chuck laid back. Blair put Luca on his chest. Their son calmed down completely as the beating of Chuck's heart lulled him back to sleep.

"I didn't even hear the storm," Chuck confessed as Blair curled against him, her hand caressing Luca's back.

"You never do," Blair yawned.

"Go back to sleep," he encouraged her, "I'll stay up with him."

"I should feed him first," she yawned again.

"He's sound asleep," Chuck pointed out, "He'll wake you when he's hungry."

"The storm won't lull you back to sleep?" Blair mumbled as her eyes drifted closed.

"No," Chuck shook his head, "It's your turn to sleep."

"You'll wake me if the storm gets worse?"

"Of course," he nodded.

Blair drifted off. It was quiet for a few minutes as the storm had either passed them by or lost its intensity. Luca and Blair slept soundly for an hour as Chuck periodically checked his phone's weather radar. There was another storm coming, less severe, but he had a feeling that Blair and Luca's sleep was going to be interrupted sooner rather than later.

"Did the scary storm wake you, Luca?" Chuck cooed as Luca's eyes popped open at the next sound of thunder, "It's okay. You're safe with mommy and me. You're always safe with me and your mother."

Luca fisted his fingers in the hair on Chuck's chest and pulled.

"No, no, no," Chuck winced as he tried to free his son's hand, while trying to keep himself quiet as he didn't want to wake Blair.

"What's wrong?" Blair muttered as she heard his soft cries of pain.

"Luca," Chuck groaned.

With a flash of lightening Blair was able to see that their son had a firm grip on Chuck's chest hair.

"Silly little boy," Blair giggled as she sat up and helped loosen Luca's fingers.

"He's not so silly when it's your hair that he's pulling," Chuck sighed with relief as Blair lifted Luca into her arms.

"He doesn't like my hair," Blair replied, "He's never tugged once, even when it's been within his grasp."

Chuck bent down and kissed Luca's head as Blair shifted on the bed to feed him, since they were all awake anyways.

"Chuck, we should take Luca to the island," Blair replied as Luca wrapped his hand around her finger, "I miss the island. I miss the storms on the island. They never seemed quite this violent."

"The idea has merit," Chuck stated, "It would certainly bring things full circle. We learned we were going to become parents on the island."

"Let's go as soon as possible," Blair replied, "Luca has his six month checkup tomorrow. I say we celebrate his good health with a trip."

"That would be the best reason I could think of to vacation," Chuck mused, "And it would allow us to finally have that honeymoon that we've been putting off."

"So it's settled," Blair smiled triumphantly, "And maybe we could bring Serena and Nate along. Serena has talked nonstop since we first got back from the island about wanting to see it. It would be good to stop her nagging for a little while at least. They could take Luca for a few hours every now and then so we can steal away to those wonderful hot springs for some honeymoon time."

"Let's call Serena and Nathaniel first thing in the morning, see if they're free," Chuck suggested, "Either way, I'll call the flight crew and put them on standby."

The second storm passed by, and the power quickly came back on.

"This little boy doesn't have a care in the world," Chuck marveled as he reclaimed his son.

"As it should be," Blair smiled.

"Go back to sleep," Chuck encouraged her as he positioned Luca against his shoulder, "I'm going to walk with him for awhile."

"If the storm returns, will you wake me?" Blair yawned.

"If we need to relocate, yes, I will wake you," he assured her, "Get some sleep."

Blair nodded as her head came to rest against the pillow. She was asleep before Chuck could slide from the bed. He watched her sleep for a few minutes as he bounced back and forth with Luca in his arms before he began walking the halls of their home, up and down the staircases as he tried to get Luca to fall asleep. Luca wasn't having any of it. His eyes were as wide as saucers. Chuck returned him to the nursery, turned on the mobile above Luca's crib, and then made himself comfortable in the overstuffed chair in the corner with Luca resting against his chest. Soon they were both asleep. The next thing he knew, it was morning and Blair hovering over them with a beautiful smile on her face and a camera in her hands.

**TBC. . .**

**Finally starting to see some pictures from the set of GG. Getting a little anxious to start the new season. Someone please tell me who's brilliant idea it was to make us wait until October. I'd like to have a talk with them.**

**Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed this latest chapter. I have one, maybe two more chapters left and probably an epilogue to wrap everything up. **

**I have to thank my splendid Beta Lori2279 for her excellent work, as always, and of course to you the amazing readers.**

**xoxo**


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Wave to Mommy, Luca," Chuck cooed as he looked across the airplane to see his beautiful bride sitting next to her best friend. He lifted his son's arm to wave at Blair. She had a gentle smile on her face as she waved back, but her eyes showed her hesitation.

He knew she was keeping a secret from him, and he knew what the secret was. She was pregnant again. He couldn't exactly explain how he knew, it was just a feeling that he had and it explained her sudden bouts of exhaustion and random cases of food poisoning. He wasn't blind, and she wasn't as clever at hiding her dashes to the bathroom as she thought. What he didn't know was why she was keeping it a secret from him. He thought he'd made it clear that he would be ready to have another child as soon as she was ready, unless perhaps she wasn't ready.

So he waited, waited for her to tell him her secret, waited for her to come to a decision. He would support her no matter what she decided.

"Say Nate," his best friend tried to coach his name from his son's lips, "Come on, Luca, say Nate."

"Forget it, Archibald," Chuck replied, "Nate isn't going to make the top five. It's going to be Mama, then Dada, then grandma, then grandpa, then grandpére. After that, you may have a shot, but your girlfriend is making quite the push for number six."

"Nate," Nate repeated as he was undeterred by Chuck's response, "Say Nate."

"Don't listen to him, Luca," Chuck babbled as he reached to cover the little brunette's ears. Luca pushed his father's hands away from his ears before he reached for Chuck's hand and brought one of the fingers to his mouth. Everything went into Luca's mouth these days, and Chuck's fingers apparently were his favorite treat.

"He's getting so big," Nate marveled, "I can't believe that he's six months old today."

"Time does fly," Chuck nodded as he wiggled his finger a bit, feeling the first of his son's teeth glide against his finger.

"Serena's already talking about wanting one," Nate admitted, as he glanced towards his girlfriend to see that she and Blair were thoroughly engrossed in their own conversation and likely wouldn't overhear them.

"I'm not exactly surprised," Chuck responded, "She's at the manor nearly every day to have her quality auntie time."

"Luca is the cutest thing in the world, but I don't know that I'm ready for children," Nate admitted.

"You're never ready," Chuck replied as Luca released his fingers and then extended his arms to his father. He was done playing with Nate. He wanted his nap. Chuck settled him against his shoulder. Luca was out almost instantly. "It doesn't mean that you can't be a good father when the time comes."

"Obviously," Nate responded as he observed the pair, "Two years ago, you would have been the last person I would have considered to have children, yet here you are, married with a child. Pigs aren't flying alongside us, are they?"

"It's a sign of the apocalypse, now move on," Chuck replied with a chuckle.

"Not only are you a father, but you're a good father," Nate added, "Luca is comfortable with you. It's usually the nannies raising children in your neighborhood, but you're so involved."

"Blair doesn't want a nanny," Chuck replied, "And honestly now that we're six months in, I don't see a need for one either. That feeling may change down the road when we add to our family, but for now this arrangement works for us."

"Are you talking about more children?" Nate inquired.

"It's been discussed," he nodded, "There hasn't been any definite conclusions reached, but we did agree that we wanted more children."

"How could you not after having this handsome little devil?" Nate replied as he rubbed Luca's back a few times.

Chuck caressed Luca's head as he relaxed into his seat to cuddle up with his son. He could spend hours in this position, and he loved every minute of it. Nate watched his best friend closely. He never thought he'd see the day where he'd see his best friend, Chuck Bass, cuddling with an infant and look as comfortable as he currently was.

"Look at Chuck and Luca. How cute," Serena shrieked, loud enough that both mother and father feared that Luca might wake.

"Keep your voice down," Blair hissed, "Do you know how cranky Luca gets if he's woken from his nap before he's ready? Trust me, you do not want to experience it."

"I'm so excited," Serena shrieked as she settled herself in the seat next to Blair. Chuck and Nate were a short distance away, having a little guy bonding time with Luca. "I can't tell you how much I've need to get out of the city for months."

"Nobody was stopping you and Nate," Blair pointed out, "It was you that didn't want to leave your nephew."

"Can you blame me?" Serena looked towards the sleeping little boy, "He has such chubby little cheeks. I can't resist them."

"They are pretty irresistible," Blair smiled as she watched Chuck snuggle up with Luca. Blair's hand drifted towards her stomach as she caressed her belly.

"I'm sure this second baby's cheeks will be just as adorable," Serena whispered softly.

"Yes, they will," Blair nodded.

"You haven't told Chuck yet?" Serena concluded.

"I don't know how," Blair replied, "I'm hoping the island will inspire me."

"So what are we to expect when we land on this island?" Serena inquired as she shifted the conversation before the two men could overhear, "Are they going to roll out the red carpet and bow down to their queen?"

"No," Blair laughed, "There are currently only two people on the island, our caretakers, Yvechelle and Tomas. Even with the flight crew on the island, there will only be a couple handfuls of people at most. We'll have all sorts of privacy to do as we please."

"That sounds a little dangerous," Serena replied, "And you promise that you and Chuck won't be parading around naked where I can see. Seeing you wouldn't be nearly as traumatic as it would be to see Chuck in all his supposed glory. Seeing his back half in the hospital was quite enough."

"He does have the cutest ass," Blair giggled, "Though it doesn't do the rest of him justice."

"And I pray to God I never find out," Serena stated.

"Nate, trade seats with me," Blair called out to him as she unbuckled her seatbelt and crossed the plane, "I want to sit next to my two favorite men."

"You could sit between me and Chuck and then you could sit next to your three favorite men," Nate suggested.

"Daddy's not here," Blair replied as she waved him towards Serena.

"Ouch," Nate chuckled as he slid out of his seat.

"And keep your hands were we can see them," Blair warned the pair, "There will be no mile high activities going on up here."

"Unless we are taking part in them," Chuck added under his breath.

"Is he asleep?" Blair inquired as she snuggled in against Chuck's shoulder.

"He's out," Chuck nodded slightly.

"I can't believe he's six months old today," Blair marveled as she rubbed Luca's back softly.

"Six months, and we haven't screwed him up yet," he chuckled.

"That we know of, anyways," Blair smiled, "We're probably smothering him."

"I'd rather smother than ignore him," Chuck replied.

"We can never ignore this adorable little man," Blair yawned as she felt a wave of exhaustion hit her.

"Take a nap," Chuck urged her, "We still have a few hours of flight left."

"I'll sleep when we get to the island," Blair shook her head.

"Sleep," he continued to urge her as he ran his fingers along her forearm, "I have other plans for you when we get to the island."

"Is that so?" she gave him a knowing smirk.

"I love you, Blair," Chuck sighed.

"I love you too," she smiled back at him as her eyes felt heavy. Suddenly she was out. She didn't wake until the she felt the wheels touch down as they arrived at their island.

* * *

"Welcome back, Mister and Mrs. Bass," Yvechelle greeted the travel party at the door, reaching out to take a hold of Luca's foot, "And who is this?"

"This is our son, Luca," Blair replied as she turned Luca towards Yvechelle so that she could get him to wave at her, "Say hi to Yvechelle, Sweetheart."

"I knew you two would be having a little boy before you left the island. He's just precious," Yvechelle smiled as she waved back to the infant.

"Yes, he is," Chuck nodded as he turned to introduce their traveling companions, "And these are our friends, Serena and Nathaniel."

"Nate," his best friend corrected him. He didn't appreciate anyone else addressing him as formally as Chuck did from time to time. He certainly didn't want to be addressed so formally is such a laid back atmosphere such as this.

"Nate," Yvechelle nodded as she greeted him and Serena with handshakes, "Well come on in. Lunch is waiting for you out on the veranda. I'll see to your belongings."

"Thank you," Chuck replied as he reached for Blair's hand and guided her to the veranda with Nate and Serena bringing up the rear as they took several moments to marvel at their tropically surroundings.

"It's good to be back," Blair sighed happily as she took her seat at the table and placed Luca in her lap.

"I was worried it wouldn't feel as magical the second time around," Chuck replied as he reached for her hand.

"But it feels even better this time," she chimed right in on the thought he was having as it was the same as her own.

"You two should have named this place 'Heaven on Earth'," Serena stated when she and Nate finally joined them, "This place is incredible. Tell me why you two ever went back to New York because I'm seriously considering staying here for the rest of my life."

"You know this is just a vacation, right?" Blair inquired when she realized that her best friend's proclamation sounded a little too real, "We can't really stay here forever. We have lives and a family waiting for us back in New York."

"I know," Serena nodded, "But for the moment, let me have this dream."

"Wait until you taste the feast Yvechelle has created for us," Chuck replied, "I swear I gained ten pounds the last time we were here. Her food is simply too wonderful to resist."

"And she made homemade baby food for Luca," Blair showed him the bowl of fresh pureed bananas that had been prepared specially for their little boy.

"Maybe he'll actually eat this," Chuck thought out loud. They'd tried on several occasions to get Luca to eat baby food and failed spectacularly. The only thing he'd taken to was breast milk, and the pediatrician was encouraging them to find alternatives.

"Take your best shot," Blair baited him.

Chuck lifted Luca into his arms and then settled him into his lap as Blair pushed the bananas and a spoon towards him. She sat back and watched as Chuck lifted the bananas to his lips.

"Come on, Buddy, they taste yummy," Chuck stated as he pressed the spoon to Luca's lips, urging his mouth to open. His son's lips wouldn't budge. "You're as stubborn as your mother. Come on, Luca, open up."

"He still doesn't want it," Blair sighed as she studied her son closely.

"I can't say that I blame him," Chuck eyed Blair suggestively, "If I had regular access to those breasts too, I'd be reluctant to give them up."

"You have such a dirty mind," Blair rolled her eyes as she smiled.

"Which you love," he chuckled as he spooned in the bananas into his own mouth as Luca watched on. Suddenly Luca reached for his father's hand and tried to bring the spoon to his mouth but missed and hit the side of his face. "Hold on, Buddy," Chuck stated as he reloaded the spoon with more bananas that he brought to Luca's lips. To the amazement of both parents, Luca's mouth opened right up and in slipped the spoon.

"He swallowed," Blair stammered out.

"So he swallowed a bit of bananas, what is so earthshattering about that?" Nate inquired.

"That's the first time he's ever done it, and we've been trying for weeks to get him to take to things other than breast milk," Blair explained.

"Two months," Chuck corrected her as the second spoonful went in just as easily.

"Guess he just needed to see his daddy eat what he eats," Serena chimed in.

"You're getting so big, Luca," Blair cooed as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. Luca giggled as he pushed his mother away and waited eagerly for the next spoonful. Blair turned towards Serena, "Could you and Nate watch him for a few hours later on? I want to take Chuck to the hot springs on the other side of the island for a little quality time."

"Sure," Serena nodded, "He can help us make a sand castle."

"Just make sure to keep him out of the sun as much as possible," Blair requested, "I'd hate for his delicate skin to get sunburned."

"And don't bury him in the sand," Chuck added as he spooned in another bite for Luca.

"Give us a little credit," Nate rolled his eyes.

"Just covering our bases," Chuck replied, "You have been known not to follow instructions on occasion. How many diapers has he put on backwards?"

"We've lost count," Blair chimed in.

"The front and back look identical, who can tell?" Nate defended himself.

"Yet Blair and I manage to figure it out many times a day," Chuck laughed.

"Fine, I'm a horrible babysitter," Nate threw up his hands in surrender, "But I have Serena to help me out, so we'll be fine. She watches him all the time."

"Maybe we should fly Lily or Eleanor in," Blair looked to Chuck with a teasing glint in her eyes.

Chuck read her glimmer perfectly, "They are the only two people that we can truly trust to watch our most precious treasure."

"Hey!" Serena exclaimed, "I would never let anything bad happen to my nephew. You both know that."

Blair began giggling in response as she turned her attention to their meal. There were make sounds of delight as the trio ate their meals while Chuck continued to feed Luca.

"You have to taste this, Chuck," Blair suddenly forked a bite of her meal towards his mouth, "I don't know how Yvechelle continually manages to top one dish after the next, but she's outdone herself yet again."

"She has indeed," Chuck nodded as he swallows the bite. Luca looked between his mother and father and then opened his mouth in Blair's direction as if he was waiting for her to feed him.

"Not yet my sweet baby boy," Blair cooed as she pecked at his cheek, "Let's get you to eat regular baby food on a more consistent basis before we try big boy food."

Luca pouted for a few moments before Chuck shoveled in another spoonful of bananas. His mood improved greatly.

**TBC. . .**

**So one chapter left and an epilogue.**

**And for those that want to mark their calendars, Gossip Girl premieres on October 8 at 9:00 pm EST in the US, not sure for those outside the US. Either way it's still entirely too far away for my tastes.**

**Again I'm thanking my beta for her awesome work. I know I'm repeating myself, but she's helped me make this story the best that it can be.**

**Last, but certainly never least, to all you fantastic readers and reviewers, thank you so much.**


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Blair, this place is incredible," Nate stated as he took a seat in the lounge chair next to Serena after changing into his swim shorts. He'd had extra helpings of the lunch that the caretaker had prepared, so he was only now joining them.

"Don't tell me, tell Chuck. He found this place," Blair replied as she looked towards the umbrella set up on the beach where Chuck was laying under it with his son. She'd check on them a few minutes ago. They were both sound asleep.

"You'd never suspect that he has any disorder with the way he's handled things this past year," Serena observed as she followed her best friend's eyes, "He's a different Chuck, a gentler Chuck, but still Chuck. I don't know if it's the medication or if it's just because he maturing now that he's a father."

"It's both," Blair replied, "Throw in a healthy dose of happiness. I've never seen Chuck smile so much as he has in the past six months."

"This past year," Nate amended, "Since your wedding actually."

"He's not cured. He'll likely never be cured," Blair sighed, "Down the road we may have to deal with an outburst…a setback, but for right now we're savoring these moments of tranquility."

"When are you going to tell him?" Serena inquired as she watched her friend caress her stomach softly. There wasn't the telltale bump yet, so Blair still felt comfortable in the bikini.

"Tell him what?" Nate asked.

"That she wants a divorce," Serena glared at him.

"What!" Nate exclaimed, "You're not serious, are you?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Blair rolled her eyes, "I don't want a divorce. I'm pregnant."

"What!" Nate exclaimed again.

"Keep your voice down," Blair hissed, "I'd like to be the one to tell him."

"How could you be pregnant already?"

"I'm not going into the birds and the bees lecture with you," Blair rolled her eyes, "It's possible and it happened."

"How pregnant are you?" Nate asked.

"She doesn't really know," Serena chimed in.

Nate began to ask further questions. Blair didn't have the patience to answer them, so she left her chair to join Chuck and Luca under the umbrella. Chuck's eyes opened slightly when he felt her presence.

"Archibald annoying you already?" he muttered softly.

"It's the one thing he excels at," Blair replied as she snuggled close to him.

"Do I need to have the foot in mouth talk with him again?" he asked groggily.

"I'd rather you have the take foot out of mouth talk with him," she replied as she began rubbing circles into his back with her finger.

"I'll have that discussion with him after dinner," he assured her.

"I was thinking that we'd go to the hot springs after dinner," she stated as he rolled over slightly to look to her.

"But we'd miss Luca's first island sunset," he replied.

"When would you like to go?" she inquired.

"Right now works," he replied, "This handsome thing is sound asleep. He'll hardly know we're gone."

"Then let's go," she replied as she rose to her feet and brushed off the bit of sand that had attached to her leg, "I'll tell Serena and Nate that they are on Luca Patrol."

Chuck nodded as he gingerly scooped Luca into his arms and got to his feet. "Mommy and I will be back soon," he whispered softly as he kissed Luca's forehead just before he handed him over to an anxious Serena. According to her, she never had enough quality time with her nephew when his parents were around because Luca preferred to be in the arms of his parents when they were an option.

* * *

"So many memories," Blair sighed as they approached the hot springs hand in hand, "And all of them good."

"Are you talking about the island or just these springs?" Chuck inquired as he slowly eased himself into the hot water as his body adjusted to the warm temperature.

"I suppose both are true," she mused as she sat at the edge of the springs and swung her legs into the water. Chuck maneuvered so that he was between her legs.

"So we've been married for almost a year now," he stated as he brought her left hand to his lips, "Any regrets?"

"Absolutely none," she shook her head as her hands came to rest against his shoulders, "Any for you?"

"Zero," he shook his head in imitation of her, "This has easily been the happiest year of my life. Granted it doesn't take much."

"Anything that you would do differently?" she inquired.

"In the past year, no," he shook his head, "The many years before that, I've lost count of all the things I'd like to change, but we're not going there."

"No, we're not," she agreed.

"So you brought me here to the spot where we physically reunited," he smirked, "Was it your intention to get me all alone just to reminisce about the past year?"

"No," she bit her lip nervously, "I have something to tell you. I wanted to get you alone because I don't know how you'll take it."

"Tell me what?" he inquired as his hands began to caress her thighs gently as he mentally prepared himself for her to reveal her news. He didn't want to appear too eager in case she wasn't happy about this.

"I don't know how it happened," she began as she bit her lip nervously, "Well, I guess I know how it happened, but I can't believe that it actually did. Luca is still so young."

"Blair, you're talking in circles," he interrupted her, "Just tell me what you need to tell me."

"You already know, don't you?" she realized as she looked deep within his eyes.

"That you're pregnant, yes," he nodded.

"How could you know?" Blair gasped, "I haven't told anyone other than Serena. That blonde didn't rat me out, did she?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Then how could you know?" she pressed, "I barely knew, and it's my body."

"I know your body better than I know my own," he explained as he continued to caress her outer thighs, "There have been subtle clues. I missed them when you were first pregnant with Luca because I didn't know there was a possibility. We both knew there was a possibility this time."

"Don't be mad at me," she demanded as her eyes began to tear, "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"I'm not mad at you," he quickly assured her, "Why would you think for a moment that I would be? I have just as much to do with this as you. If we follow your logic from before, I'm probably more to blame."

"How do you figure?" she eyed him skeptically.

"I have overzealous sperm, don't I?" he smirked.

"You're really not mad?" her eyes turned skeptical.

"Not at all," he shook his head.

"I don't know how we're going to manage," she began to ramble on, "Luca will be toddling around by the time this baby is born. We'll have two sets of diapers to change, two mouths to feed, two bath times to coordinate…"

"And we'll figure that all out," he assured her, "We may have to hire that nanny you've been resisting, but we'll figure it out. Even if we don't, people raise two children this close in age all the time."

"Since we first got engaged you have been the most wonderful man in the world to me," she sighed as the relief began to wash over her, "I don't know why I thought you'd be mad about this."

"There is still that demon inside me, Blair," he reminded her, "I try to keep him at bay the best I can, but he's still there."

"There's no demon, Chuck," she shook her head, "Being bipolar does not make you the devil. Yes, we will have to deal with the possibility of symptoms for probably the rest of our lives, but I wouldn't trade you for anyone else in the world, even one of those perfect fairytale princes. You're real, Chuck. You're real to me, and you make me and Luca so happy."

"You and Luca make me so happy," Chuck chimed in, "Happy Anniversary, Blair."

"You're a few days early," she pointed out.

"But the gift that you've given me today couldn't possibly top anything you have planned for the actual day, so I say we celebrate it early," he replied.

"Then yes, absolutely," she chuckled, "Happy Anniversary, Chuck."

He rose up higher in the water to pull her closer to him as he dipped in to kiss her. Blair's legs closed around his waist as she allowed him to pull her into the water where they made love to celebrate their wonderful news.

* * *

"So glad you made it back when you did," Serena replied as she unloaded her nephew into Chuck's awaiting arms, "This little thing just woke up. He's fussy, possibly hungry, and definitely needs a diaper change."

"Some godmother you have turned out to be," Chuck grumbled as he brought Luca into the house to change him, chatting animatedly with him as he went.

"So," Serena prodded Blair, "Did you tell him?"

"Tell him what?" Blair inquired as she walked towards the spread of snacks the ever efficient Yvechelle had set out for them.

"You know darn well what," Serena exclaimed.

"I didn't have to tell him," Blair replied, "Somehow he just seemed to know. I don't know how he does it, but he's more in tune with my body than I am."

"Why aren't you that in tune with my body?" Serena inquired as she backhanded Nate's shoulder.

"Because he's Nate," Blair chimed in, "Be thankful if he remembers your birthday."

"That's what I have Chuck for," Nate quipped, "To remind me of those present worthy holidays beforehand."

"Pathetic," Serena rolled her eyes.

"I definitely traded up when I involved myself with Chuck," Blair concluded as she eyed her ex-boyfriend.

"You get no argument from me," Nate shrugged.

Chuck returned a few minutes later sans his son.

"Did you forget something, Buddy?" Nate inquired as Chuck snagged Blair around the waist as he stepped in behind her.

"Yeah, isn't there a baby around here somewhere?" Serena chimed in.

"Give me some credit," Chuck laughed as he held up the baby monitor he'd attached to the belt loop of his shorts, "He wasn't as rested as you claimed. He's fast asleep."

"Is it wise to let him sleep that much?" Serena inquired, "Will he sleep tonight?"

"He'll be fine," Chuck replied, "And if not, I'll happily stay up with him."

"You're such a good dad," Serena replied, "Who knew you had that ability in you?"

"Who indeed," Chuck laughed.

"Congrats on baby number two," Nate chimed in.

"Thank you," Chuck replied as his hands wrapped around Blair's waist, his fingers tapping a happy beat against her abdomen.

"That's some powerful sperm you must have there, Bass," Nate chuckled, "You've knocked Blair up twice in less than eighteen months."

"Never are you to mention sperm and Chuck in the same sentence ever again," Serena groaned.

"How about we mention Nate's sperm?" Blair suggested, "How about you knock up my best friend already so we can have play dates?"

"Heck no," Nate shook his head vigorously, "I think we'll live vicariously through the two of you for the time being."

"Such the chicken," Blair rolled her eyes, "Weren't you the one that almost forced your grandmother's engagement ring onto my finger back in high school?"

"That was my parents," Nate insisted, "I finally put my foot down on that."

Chuck nearly fell over as he laughed at his friend's statement.

"Either way parenthood is not in my near future," Nate insisted as he looked nervously towards Serena for a moment, "Is it?"

"The only positive test around here would be Blair's," Serena assured him.

"So what do two people in love do all day around here?" Nate inquired as he quickly changed the subject.

"Whatever we want," Blair replied, "We're completely cut off from the world. Enjoy it."

"When you say totally cut off, does that mean we don't get cellular reception?" Nate gulped nervously.

"Sorry, Nate, no Gossip Girl blasts for you," Blair chuckled.

"Seriously!" Serena gasped in surprise.

"How do people live without cellphone reception in this day and age?" Nate frowned as he looked longingly at his phone as if he'd just lost his best friend.

"We get reception here," Chuck whispered in Blair's ear.

"Shhh," she hushed him, "Let's see how long we can keep up this ruse."

"So when is this famous sunset the two of you keep raving about?" Serena inquired.

"About an hour or so," Chuck replied as he looked towards the horizon to see how high the sun was, "Luca should be up from his nap by then. We'd hate for him to miss it."

"He's a baby, Chuck," Serena pointed out, "He doesn't care."

"But his mother does," Chuck responded, "This was one of the promises that I made Blair just before we left the island a little over a year ago, to come here often and to share it with our family. I refuse to break such a promise."

Blair wrapped her arms around him and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"I'm going to check on Luca," Blair whispered into his ear, "Make sure the sun doesn't set without us."

"I'll stop the world from spinning just for you," he winked.

Blair turned to see Serena slapping Nate's shoulder as she walked into the house to retrieve her son.

"Ouch," Nate winced as he rubbed at his shoulder, "What was that for?"

"For never saying things like that to me," she replied, "Would you grow a romantic bone already?"

"None of those romantic bones around my son," Chuck quipped.

"Look who's awake," Blair announced as she returned a little later with her son in her arms, his eyes wide. He reached out for his father immediately.

"Are you ready for the sunset, Luca?" Chuck inquired as he bounced him up and down as he walked him down to the beach, plopping himself in the sand with Luca in his lap. Blair quickly followed along, her arms around Chuck's shoulders as they cuddled.

Nate was about to follow, but Serena pulled on his arm to halt him.

"Let them have this time to themselves," Serena replied, "We can catch our sunset tomorrow. For now, we can have our own private time in the bedroom."

Nate nodded as he followed like an eager puppy.

"He's getting so big," Blair marveled as Chuck lowered his son so his toes were dipping in the sand. The new sensation was quite the thrill for Luca as he was kicked his feet back and forth with an excited giggle. Sand was being kicked up in every direction. "He's going to start walking soon."

"That will surely keep us busy," he chuckled, "There is so much that he can get into at the manor. It's going to be a full time job following him around."

"I don't know if I'll be able to keep up," she sighed, "Remember how I waddled around when I was pregnant with him."

"If you can't, I'll pick up the slack," Chuck assured her.

"Mommy's having another baby, Luca," Blair cooed as she rained kisses along his face, "You get to have brother and sister soon."

Luca giggled as he tried to hold off his mother's playful assault.

"He's such a lucky little boy," Chuck stated, "He has the most beautiful and attentive mother. Now he gets to have a sibling to play with. What more could a little boy ask for?"

"Not much," Blair smiled, "Especially since he has such a handsome and equally attentive father."

"I'm going to jinx myself, but I'm not sure our life could get much better," he replied as he touched her chin lightly, guiding her lips to his.

"Well, we deserve this happiness," she smiled, "I love you."

"I love you too," Chuck smiled as he kissed her again.

"Now, let's enjoy this sunset," Blair stated as she pointed towards the setting sun. Luca's eyes followed his mother's finger. He watched the sun with intrigued eyes as he continued kicking at the sand with his toes. Chuck's hands caressed Blair's stomach. Her fingers entwined with his.

Blair and Chuck both sighed happily as the sun disappeared. Life was perfect, but soon it would get even better.

**The End … Epilogue to follow.**


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"So, what do you think?" Blair inquired of her husband as she gathered their newborn in her arms, the tiny hand holding her finger so tight. The second round of labor had been much less taxing. Eight hours had felt like a sprint compared to the fourteen hours she'd endured with Luca.

"I think this baby is as perfect as the one we have out in the waiting room," Chuck replied as he took the other tiny little hand into his and wrapped the little fingers around his pinkie, "Ten fingers, ten little toes, your lips, your nose."

"I want a dozen more," she informed him as she kissed their new baby's forehead softly. As with their first born, she couldn't get enough of the soft skin against her lips.

"A dozen," he coughed out in surprise, "Are you sure you want to go through labor a dozen more times?"

"Okay, maybe not a dozen more," she conceded, "But a couple more are a definite must."

"Is that so?" he chuckled as he nuzzled his nose into her neck, "Can we wait until at least one of the two we already have are out of diapers first?"

"That's up to you and your overzealous sperm," she informed him.

"Are you ready for company?" he asked as he rubbed her back softly.

"I'm not ready for our entire family to bombard us, but I want to introduce Luca to his sibling," she replied, "So go get him, please."

"I'll be back as soon as I can wrangle Luca out of the arms of his grandparents," Chuck replied as he kissed the infant's forehead before he turned to capture Blair's lips, "I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled as she reached out to caress his cheek softly.

Blair took a few moments to take in her surroundings. She was amazed by how different motherhood felt the second time around. She'd felt overmatched with Luca, so unsure of herself, so unsure of if she could even raise the healthy little boy. Now her thoughts were more about how they'd be able to juggle two children in diapers, one of which was toddling around, nearly out of control.

Chuck and Blair weren't able to turn their backs on Luca without him finding some form of chaos to cause. Neither had the heart to scold the mischievous tot, which was surely encouraging his behavior, but he was simply too adorable for his own good. One look into those chocolate eyes, both Chuck and Blair would melt.

Their life was going never going to be dull from this moment on, not that it had been dull for the last year. Blair had caved on the nanny two months ago. She just didn't have the energy towards the end of her pregnancy to keep her eyes on overactive Luca every minute of every day and it was unfair to keep depending on their family to pick up the slack.

Their new nanny, Millie, was an angel. She was a sweet, old lady with grey hair that had raised a family of seven, four boys, three girls. She had numerous grandchildren, though they all lived out of state. She'd kept her family fed over the years by running a daycare upstate, but she had recently remarried after losing her husband of thirty years to a car accident. Her new husband lived and worked in the city. She wanted a job that kept her busy during the week when her husband was at the office. Blair and Chuck's needs meshed well with hers.

Blair had strict rules. She didn't want them depending on Millie to raise their children. Millie worked no more than ten hours a day. She had every weekend and holiday off. Blair and Chuck were responsible for taking their children to doctors' appointments. Millie would join them on outings, but she was never to be the sole adult response for the children.

Luca took to Millie immediately. He called her Li-Li.

Blair had hovered over Luca after they first hired Millie, afraid that Luca would turn to the nanny for affection and to mop up the tears as she had done as a child with her own nanny. Her fears had proved to be unfounded. Luca loved to cuddle with his mother for his naps each day. When cries rang out, he was toddling as fast as his little legs would carry him in the direction of Mom or Dad, not Li-Li.

"Mama," Luca exclaimed as he scrambled into the room as Chuck propped the door open for him.

"Hi there, Sweetheart," Blair smiled as Chuck lifted him up so he was hovering over Blair. Luca bent down to kiss Blair's lips, "Meet your sister, Luca."

"Widdle," Luca replied as he gazed upon his sister for the first time.

"Yes, she's very little," Blair nodded, "Even you were not this tiny."

"Pwetty," Luca added. Clearly he was parroting words that his father had taught him minutes earlier.

"She's very pretty," Chuck added, "Like Mommy."

"Missed you?" Luca stated as he reached out for his mother.

"I missed you too," Blair stated as his arms came around his neck as he tried to hug her, "Did you have fun staying with Grandma Eleanor and Grandpa Cyrus?"

"Yep," he nodded, "Duckies. Quack, quack, quack."

"Duckies?" Blair inquired as she looked to Chuck for him to elaborate where the toddler's vocabulary wouldn't allow as Chuck sat him next to Blair and their daughter. Luca curled into her instantly as he began to drift off, his thumb stuck in his mouth, a habit he inherited from Blair.

"They took him to Central Park to feed the ducks," Chuck explained, "Cyrus thought it was an appropriate activity for their grandson."

"I'm sure my mother enjoyed that immensely," Blair rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"I think we have another bird watching enthusiast on our hands," Chuck laughed, "She actually loved it. She said she finally understood your fascination."

"Did Luca have fun though?" Blair inquired as she rubbed his back softly as he drifted off to sleep. That was the most important thing to her.

"Eleanor said he was chasing after the ducks as fast as his feet would carry him and laughing the entire morning," Chuck replied.

"Good," Blair smiled as she turned her attention to her daughter, "She needs a name."

"I figured she already had one," Chuck laughed softly, "You've been pushing for Audrey since we found out we were having a girl two months ago."

"I have my Audrey tribute already with Luca," Blair replied as she ran her fingers through her son's hair, brushing it away from his face, "Maybe its time we honor one of your heroes." She thought for a few moments. "Chuck, who are your heroes? You haven't been nearly as obvious about your idols over the year as I have been."

"I guess I don't really have any idols, maybe Don Juan or Casanova or Howard Hughes," Chuck replied.

"All known to be notorious ladies men," she rolled her eyes, "Come on, Chuck, don't you have any idols that you looked up to for anything else? Perhaps a particular author that you enjoyed reading or actor you wanted to emulate?"

"I've always enjoyed a good book, and there were many films that I enjoyed, but nothing that I'd want to consider in naming our daughter," Chuck replied.

"Well there must have been someone that was influential in your life," she replied, "Perhaps a particular nanny you were fond of?"

He shook his head. "You've always been the most influential woman in my life. As much as I love Lily and appreciate her taking me in when she could have easily turned her back on me, I wouldn't want to name our daughter after her."

"I have an idea," Blair smiled softly, "And she's actually the most influential of women of them all."

"Evelyn," Chuck guessed. That was the only name Blair could possibly be thinking of.

"Unless that's too painful a memory for you," she added quickly.

"Evie," Chuck smiled softly as he bent down to kiss his daughter's hand, "I like it."

"Evelyn Victoria," Blair stated.

"Throwing in a little bit of our past escapades in for good measure," he smirked knowingly.

"If it wasn't for that night at Victrola, we might never have happened," she pointed out, "How awful a thought is that?"

"An absolute nightmare," he agreed as he lifted Evelyn from Blair's arms, "So Evie, does that name work for you?"

Evelyn let out a healthy yawn as she drifted off to sleep.

"I guess we'll have to buy ourselves another island," Chuck smirked as he rocked his daughter back and forth.

"What? Why would you say that?" Blair looked at him in confusion. It was such an odd and random thought to be having at such a perfect moment.

"Well, we already have an island named for this little beauty," Chuck replied, "We can't have an island that appears to favor one child over the other, and we just so happen to have the resources."

"So if we have more children, are you going to buy more islands to appease them?" Blair inquired as Luca curled further into his mother's embrace as he continued with his nap.

"If we're fortunate enough to still have the means, yes," Chuck nodded, "Don't worry, Beautiful, I'll make you the queen of each and every one. Think of it as an expansion of our own empire."

"You can give me whatever titles you feel appropriate, but I only need one tiara," Blair replied.

"If you insist, but this little beauty and that handsome boy in your arms deserve the tiara and crown they are due," Chuck laughed.

"What about their daddy?" Blair inquired with an amused shake of her head, "If I'm his queen and his children are the prince and princess, doesn't that mean their daddy is the king? Shouldn't he have his own crown?"

"I don't need the crown or the title," Chuck waved off her suggestion, "I have my queen and our children. That's more than enough for me."

"Such the sap," she teased.

"Blame it on parenthood," he chuckled as he continued to sway back and forth with his daughter in his arms.

"Evie's first dance partner," Blair observed.

"For many, many years, her only dance partner," he added, "With any luck many decades."

"I wouldn't count on that Daddy," Blair giggled, "She's going to have her daddy's charm. Her dance card will be filled by preschool."

"Over my dead body," he smirked.

"This still feels like a fantastic dream," she sighed.

"What feels like a fantastic dream?" he asked for clarification.

"All of it," she replied, "We're married. We have an incredible home. We have two beautiful children. We're happy and so in love. This never seemed possible just a few short years ago."

"We're different people than we were a few years ago," he replied as he sat himself down at the end of her bed, Evie still secure in his arms. "We've overcome so much to be together. I'm not even going to list everything that has kept us apart because we'll be here until Evie graduates from medical school."

"What is so different?" Blair asked as she reached her hand out to him, "Why are we going to work this time when we didn't work before?"

"Because we want to work," Chuck replied. "We've run out of excuses for why we shouldn't be together. We're going to have our ups and downs. I still have this illness that hangs over us all. I'm under control right now, but that could change. You know that.

"We're not perfect. Our life will not be perfect, but we're out of excuses. More importantly, we have some of the best reasons to tough it out."

"Evie and Luca," Blair smiled as she rubbed circles into Luca's back as he continued to snuggle with his mother as he slept.

"And each other," he added as he brought her hand to his lips. The gesture didn't feel strong enough so he carefully shifted on the bed to lean in and kiss her lips. They were still kissing when Evie and Luca woke up from their abbreviated naps, both clearly hungry. They had to separate to tackle the tasks, but they took comfort in knowing that no matter the task they would always be together in the end.

**The End.**

**This is officially the end of the road for Manic. Thank you so much for indulging me with this detour from my Chair Saga. This has been quite the journey. I hope you all have enjoyed it.**

**Will there be a sequel? I don't know yet. There were some plot twists that I'd thought up that could be worked into a sequel, but for now I must give this journey a bit of a break. **

**I believe it's time to peek once more into the lives of Blair and Chuck in my long running saga. Not sure where I'm heading with them just yet, but stay tuned.**


End file.
